After a long struggle, Real Madrid has swayed Gareth Bale into joining its ranks. The squad announced Sunday that Bale has agreed to a six-year contract with the squad. Sources close to the deal told the Associated Press that the Spanish team spent an unprecedented $132 million, or $100 million euros, to get Bale on board. That number trumps the $93 million euros it spent in 2009 to acquire Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United. Bale still had three years remaining on his contract with Tottenham, but expressed excitement about joining his new teammates on the field while praising all he learned from playing with his former squad.
"I am well aware that I would not be at the level I am today were it not for firstly Southampton and then Spurs standing by me during some of the tougher times and affording me the environment and support they have," Bale said. "Tottenham will always be in my heart and I'm sure that this season will be a successful one for them. I am now looking forward to the next exciting chapter in my life, playing football for Real Madrid."
Bale, 24, has some catching up to do when it comes to championships, but his personal achievements are astonishing. Real Madrid is the nine-time champion, while Bale has not won a title with any squad. He has, however, been voted player of the year by his fellow English footballers. He won the Professional Footballers' Association double, which was last awarded to his now-teammate Ronaldo in 2007. Carlo Ancelotti, manager of Real Madrid, will host a formidable offense with the acquisition enough to give rival Barcelona, which boasts Neymar and Lionel Messi, a run for its money.
"Gareth was a player we had absolutely no intention of selling as we look to build for the future. He is a player whose career we have fostered and developed and he was only a year into his new four-year contract," Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said. "Such has been the attention from Real Madrid and so great is Gareth's desire to join them, that we have taken the view that the player will not be sufficiently committed to our campaign in the current season. We have, therefore, with great reluctance, agreed to this sale and do so in the knowledge that we have an exceptionally strong squad to which we have added no fewer than seven top internationals."
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