July 14 – Wales icon Gareth Bale says his consortium has submitted a fresh proposal to buy Championship-relegated Cardiff City, as the former Real Madrid and Tottenham star pushes ahead with plans to take control of his hometown club.
Last week, Bale confirmed that the investor group he fronts has returned to the table with a revised offer for the Bluebirds, believed to be in the region of £40 million.
“It’s exciting news, we have a brand new offer on the table, it’s recently just gone in,” said the five-time Champions League winner. “We think it’s a great offer, one that we’re very happy with. We think it’s very fair, if not more than fair, and it’s something we hope the current owners will take serious.
“We’d love them to accept so we can take full control and get on with what we want to do and create Cardiff into a club that we know it can be.”
It remains unclear whether Malaysian owner Vincent Tan is willing to sell. Tan, who has invested over £200 million into the club since acquiring it in 2010, has given little public indication that he is prepared to walk away despite the club’s continued decline.
Cardiff City will begin the new season in the third tier of English football for the first time in more than two decades, following a disastrous 2024/25 campaign that saw them finish bottom of the Championship.
Bale, 35, has been vocal in his ambitions to help rebuild the Bluebirds, calling a potential takeover “a dream come true” and repeatedly stating his desire to guide the club back to the Premier League.
In a previous interview with Sky Sports, he said: “We’ve been speaking about it [a takeover], trying to engage with Cardiff, but more news will come out on that in the future and hopefully we can get something done.”
A Cardiff native, Bale was linked to a return to the city before joining LAFC in 2022. He went on to score a dramatic late equaliser in the MLS Cup final, helping the Californian side secure their first-ever title on penalties against Philadelphia Union.
He retired from professional football in January 2023, shortly after representing Wales at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he featured in all three group matches.
Cardiff City have not issued any comment on the reported bids. Bale’s presence in a leadership role would be a seismic development for a club seeking improved performance amid turbulent times – and a quick fix to appease a disheartened fanbase.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1754518120labto1754518120ofdlr1754518120owedi1754518120sni@g1754518120niwe.1754518120yrrah1754518120