The former Real Madrid play-maker played with Bale when they were together at Tottenham and warned the Welshman that he will face increased expectations at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart thinks Real Madrid have paid too much for Gareth Bale, who joined the Spanish giants on Sunday for a world record £85 million, Goal.com reports.
Bale reached the best form of his career for Spurs last season, scoring 26 goals in all competitions and earning himself the PFA and FWA player of the year awards for his dazzling displays.
His former team-mate, however, has questioned whether his performances really merit the price Real Madrid have paid for him this summer.
The Hamburg play-maker, who played for Real Madrid for two seasons, also thinks Bale will have to cope with the pressure that comes with playing a club like Los Blancos.
Van der Vaart told NOS: “€100 million is a bit much. You should ask yourself if a player is worth that amount at all. I’ve played with him, but I couldn’t see that he was worth 100 million back then. He did develop quite good, but still he has to prove his worth at Real.
“I know Bale as a very nice and sweet guy so I think he would fit best in England. A club like Real Madrid is different and there is a lot of pressure over there. But maybe he can surprise everybody at Real.”
Van der Vaart also thinks Bale is currently below the level of the world’s two best players, Lionel Messi and Cristano Ronaldo but hopes the Welshman is success in the Spanish capital.
He continued: “You can’t compare him with Messi and Ronaldo, because they’re from another level. If you make so many goals for so many years and win all these prizes they have won, it’s not fair to compare anybody else with those guys.
“I’ve been in his situation, only Real paid a little less money for me back then. I would like to wish him all the best at Real Madrid, because Gareth is a great lad.”