Chelsea are a joke.

Reports in Spain saying R.Madrid will make a move for Laporte in the summer, Bilbao want the €42m buy out clause but R.Madrid are hoping to use Illarramendi as part of any deal. Imagine a CB pairing of Laporte + Varane, scary how good those two could still become.

Illaramendi is a former Sociedad player though. It is far from certain he is in any way interested in joining Bilbao.

Rex wrote:

Illaramendi is a former Sociedad player though. It is far from certain he is in any way interested in joining Bilbao.

They're bitter rivals Rex? Bilbao have a ton of money from selling Herrera and Martinez to convince him to join though.

Lot of crazy hoaxes and rumours circulating about Bale to United at the moment. Most involving way more money than you'd think would be sane.

It's probably going to happen. Maybe they'll send De Gea the other way as part of the compensation. Marco Reus is Madrid bound this summer, so that means Bale is the odd man out.

I believe it could happen, he's always looked like the ultimate United player, but surely not for more than Madrid paid for him? That'd be an absolute scandal.

Losing De Gea would be a major blow too, I know the supporters are uptight about that.

United will milk this "Bale is the new Giggs" thing into oblivion.

United are - objectively speaking - batshit insane, so it wouldn't surprise me. This is the same club that paid almost £70 million for Di Maria last summer.

It's annoying because Bale would probably tear up Premier League. His main traits are running really fast and shooting really hard, but it's perfect in a team where you don't have to worry about doing anything else. World class athleticism is a great way to counter English defences that have been built on the idea that they are more physical than most opponents they are up against.

He'll definitely do well unless he has injury trouble or some such. He's done well at Madrid all things considered and he's one of those obsessive professionals.

Even so, paying more than £80m for him would be offensive.

Can't see Bale wanting to leave Madrid yet.

Burnwinter™ wrote:

Even so, paying more than £80m for him would be offensive.

Aye. It was pretty offensive the first time it happened too, but it happened.

I don't really think Madrid want to sell Bale. He's been really good for them.

Gonna have to fund Pogba and Reus somehow.

Plus he hasn't been that good.

Think Ronaldo doesn't like him and they'll force him out. If he looked like another Welshman playing for us it'd help because he could position himself as a marketing product to take over when Ronaldo slows down. But he doesn't, he can barely compete with Ched Evans in that department. Really hope Man Utd don't get him. 

Sidepoint - Ox could be Bale. Got the technique, power...just not the fitness. Keep doing the bleep test and keep kicking it really hard towards the goal 10 times a game. Couple might go in. 

Patters wrote:

If he looked like another Welshman playing for us it'd help because he could position himself as a marketing product to take over when Ronaldo slows down. But he doesn't, he can barely compete with Ched Evans in that department.

Somewhere in the world there must be an advertising firm where this conversation has already taken place.

Employee: "Okay, we've got two Welsh footballers in mind for our next campaign. One's a convicted rapist and the other one is this bloke." puts up a picture of Gareth Bale on the screen

Boss: "... let me think about this for a while."

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Plus he hasn't been that good.

I think he's been amazing for them. He's an enormous weapon despite being a limited footballer. He's a danger to score whenever he gets the ball.

Reus is dirt cheap, they don't need to sell anybody to get him.