Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is monitoring the Gareth Bale situation with intrigue, according to BBC Sport. The Welsh superstar is available for free this summer after leaving Real Madrid.
Bale recently came up trumps for his country once again. His free-kick against Ukraine was diverted into the net and sparked pandemonium as Rob Page’s team qualified for their first World Cup since 1958.
Now, Bale needs games. Page won’t want his talismanic captain going into the competition short of match fitness and he will prove a very attractive free transfer for somebody.
Forest could be an option, it would seem. The report claims that Cooper, also a Welshman, is keeping a close eye on the situation.
In truth, Forest could do with some more attackers. Philip Zinckernagel and Keinan Davis have both returned to their loan clubs after their temporary deals ended.
The likes of Joe Lolley and Alex Mighten looked void of confidence last year and as a result, they’re unlikely to be regular starters in the Premier League next season.
Bale’s record speaks for itself. In seven years at Real Madrid, he won five Champions League titles and three league titles.
Individually, it proved a good move for him too. In 258 appearances for Los Blancos, he scored 106 goals and claimed 67 assists.
Now, he desperately needs to find a club. The World Cup will be the 32-year-old’s last chance probably to feature in the competition and he will want to be fit and ready.
Intriguingly, Forest nearly signed Bale before he became world-class. Billy Davies famously tried to take him on loan from Tottenham in 2010 but injuries meant Harry Redknapp had to keep him.
Forest monitoring Bale and he could be a useful short-term option
The man with 105 caps is capable of still doing a job. In 2020/21, he spent the season on loan at Tottenham and bagged 16 times despite making only 34 appearances.
Okay, so Bale isn’t going to be a player that comes in and plays every game. He is capable of being a match-winner though and having him in the ranks could make him useful from a Forest perspective.
The player doesn’t really have anything to prove. He was earning a fortune at Real Madrid and he certainly won’t earn anything like his salary there at his next club.
Forest could do a lot worse though and it’s pleasing that Cooper is monitoring the situation.
Rumour rating: 7/10 – this certainly wouldn’t be a bad move for Forest to make.
The article looks reliably sourced from one of the big boys in the BBC and that certainly bodes well.
Forest supporters would be foolish to turn their noses up at Bale. He’s a world-class talent and given that he’s desperate to do well at the World Cup, whoever signs him will be getting a determined player.
This one might be a long shot but taking Bale on a short-term deal looks like a no-brainer.
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