Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to try a bid of around £70million-plus-Gareth Bale to seal the transfer of Manchester City star Raheem Sterling.
This quite stunning transfer deal would be huge if Real could pull it off, with Sterling one of the most exciting attacking players in world football at the moment after an unstoppable rise under Pep Guardiola.
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Sky Sports claim Madrid have already met with Sterling in the past and look set to renew their interest in a player who has expressed an interest in playing in La Liga one day.
The England international would likely cost close to the £198m Paris Saint-Germain paid for Neymar in a straightforward cash deal, say Sky Sports, so it makes sense that Los Blancos could try including Bale in the deal.
The Welsh winger, however, has looked past his best for a while now and it might take more than this to persuade City to let such an important player leave.
Bale was a world class performer in the Premier League during his Tottenham days, and it could be that he would revive his best form with a return to England.
El Desmarque recently linked the former Spurs star with Chelsea in a potential €60m move, so it may be that he’ll have other offers to return to the Premier League.
Bale, 30, would make an ideal Eden Hazard replacement for Chelsea, so it may be that he’d appeal more to them than City, who would surely need to step up and splash the cash on a genuine marquee signing in order to replace what Sterling gives them up front.