Gareth Bale has confirmed his desire to purchase Cardiff City, the club from his hometown, with the ambition of taking them back to the Premier League.
The legendary Welsh footballer is part of a consortium interested in acquiring the League One side. He shared details about his plans while attending the premiere of F1: The Movie.
Gareth Bale discussing his interest in Cardiff City.
Bale, who retired from playing two years ago after a period with Los Angeles FC, saw an initial offer rejected by Cardiff owner Vincent Tan.
Despite the initial setback, Bale remains hopeful that a takeover can be successful.
Speaking on the red carpet, he stated: “We are interested in acquiring Cardiff. It`s my local club, where I grew up, and my uncle played for them.”
“Being part of an ownership group would be a dream come true.”
“It`s a club close to my heart,” he added. “It`s where I grew up, and I would love to help Cardiff grow and return to the Premier League, where it belongs.”
He expressed appreciation for the supporters: “I know how wonderful the Welsh fans and Cardiff fans are. It would be fantastic to achieve something together.”
“We are currently in discussions with Cardiff, and further updates will follow, but hopefully, we can finalize something,” he concluded.
Bale with his wife Emma Rhys-Jones at the premiere.
Bale, who enjoyed a stellar career at Tottenham and Real Madrid, had also been previously linked with a potential takeover at Plymouth Argyle.
He notably guided Wales to their first World Cup appearance since 1958 and participated in two European Championship finals, including their remarkable journey to the semi-finals in 2016.
Bale holds the record for Wales` most-capped player with 111 appearances and is their record goalscorer, having scored 41 goals.
Bale`s potential investment in Cardiff follows shortly after his former Tottenham and Real Madrid teammate, Luka Modric, became a co-owner of rival South Wales club Swansea City.
Cardiff recently appointed Brian Barry-Murphy as manager as they prepare for their first season in the third tier (League One) since 2003.
Following Omer Riza`s dismissal in April, Welsh star Aaron Ramsey served as interim manager for three matches, although Bale`s close friend is reportedly planning a move to Mexico to continue playing.
