The Welshman is set to make a world-record move from Tottenham to the Santiago Bernabeu - but how would he slot in at the Blancos?
ANALYSIS
By Ben Hayward | Spanish Football Writer
Gareth Bale's Real Madrid move is a question of time. Although Tottenham coach Andre Villas-Boasclaimed on Saturday that the player was not for sale, talks between Spurs chairman Daniel Levy andBlancos president Florentino Perez are planned in Miami this week and the Welsh winger is set to sign in a world-record deal worth €115 million or more. "Bale was born to play for Real Madrid," Perez claimed earlier this summer. But where?
Bale is known to look up to Madrid's main man, Cristiano Ronaldo, and has openly shown his admiration for the Portuguese on Twitter. "Another hat-trick for Ronaldo! I think he's the best all-round player in the world right now. Ballon d'Or 2013!" Bale tweeted after Cristiano hit a treble against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey back in January, just days after missing out on the prestigious individual prize.
Bale's position, his powerful forward runs and his superb shooting from distance have seen the Spurs star constantly compared to the Portuguese. "He is our Cristiano Ronaldo," Spurs boss Villas-Boas told the media last season.
Former Madrid president Ramon Calderon claims the signing of Bale is to pre-empt the possible departure of Ronaldo. "I think the president has all his eggs on the table just in case he can’t get the renewal of Cristiano. That is my impression," the former Madrid chief said this week.
However, Ronaldo looks likely to reach an agreement with Madrid on a new deal and, even so, coach Carlo Ancelotti believes both men can be accommodated in the starting XI. Despite experimenting with Ronaldo as the striker this pre-season, the Italian revealed recently that the Portuguese will remain in his preferred position. "Cristiano has to be comfortable, he is a very important player. I don't need to change his position and he doesn't have to work much in defence - he needs to be ready when the team have the ball."
Ancelotti is unlikely to stick with just one formation this term, but be it 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-2-1, Ronaldo looks set to roam from his starting spot on the left, just as he did so successfully under compatriot Jose Mourinho.
Bale began his career as a left-back but made his breakthrough at Tottenham operating further forward - as a left winger. However, full-back in La Liga can be an attacking role, as both Marcelo and Dani Alves have shown in recent seasons. After his explosive display against Inter in the Champions League at San Siro in October, 2010, Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle commented: "At Barcelona or Real Madrid, he could play as a full-back because they are more like wing-backs over there [in Spain]."
But Bale's best performances for club and country have come higher up the pitch. "Real Madrid's fans will be purring at the thought of having possibly him and Ronaldo in the same team. They can go back and challenge the world again," Hoddle added this week. And he definitely was not referring to a full-back role for the 24-year-old now.