Gareth Bale could be on his way to Wrexham after leaving Real Madrid, if Rob McElhenney gets his way.
The Welsh forward is looking for a new club after confirming that he will leave Real when his contract expires at the end of the month. The 32-year-old forward is yet to decide what his future holds, but will need to make a decision soon following Wales’ qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
The winning goal against Ukraine was credited as an Andriy Yarmolenko own goal, but it was Bale’s free-kick which forced it. Victory in Cardiff means Wales will play in a World Cup for the first time in 64 years and means Bale has achieved his primary goal for the year.
Bale joked recently that he had “loads” of offers for when his Real contract expires on July 1. It seems one of those could be from National League side Wrexham, judging by co-owner McElhenney’s tweet following Wales’ historic victory over Ukraine.
Replying to a tweet which asked “Where will we see Gareth Bale next season?” McElhenney wrote playfully: “I’ve got a few ideas.”
McElhenney and fellow Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds took control of Wrexham in February 2021 by investing £2million into the Welsh club. Wrexham finished second in the National League in the 2021/22 season before being beaten 5-4 by Grimsby Town in a play-off semi-final.
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Bale is yet to confirm what he plans to do after leaving Real, where he picked up a fifth Champions League title this campaign. There have been rumours that the forward could retire from club football and solely focus on playing for Wales.
He recently insisted that his future won't hinge on Wales qualifying for Qatar 2022. He said: "Not necessarily no. Like I've said before, I’m not concentrating on what lies ahead in the future. We have a massive game tomorrow. I really don’t need to think or worry about anything else.”
Bale scored 106 goals in 258 appearances for Real Madrid after joining from Tottenham in an £85m transfer in 2013. Despite fading in status over the past few seasons, and being sent on loan back to Spurs last season, he managed to win a remarkable 19 trophies with Los Blancos.
In an emotional open letter published on Wednesday morning , he wrote: "I write this message to say thank you to all my team mates, past and present, my managers, the back room staff and to the fans that supported me. I arrived here 9 years ago as a young man who wanted to realise my dream of playing for Real Madrid.
"To wear the pristine white kit, to wear the crest on my chest, to play at the Santiago Bernabeu, to win titles and to be part of what it's so famous for, to win the Champions League. I can now look back, reflect and say with honesty that this dream became a reality and much, much more.
"To be a part of this club's history and to achieve what we achieved while I was a Real Madrid player, has been an incredible experience and one I will never forget.”
