Gareth Bale – a €98 million player?

Real Madrid is willing to pay 98 million Euros for Tottenham Hotspur player Gareth Bale. That is more than the record 94 million that Real Madrid paid for Ronaldo. So is Bale better now than Ronaldo was in 2009? Just as important, will he generate just as much income?

Bale is a talented player, who can play several positions. He can decide a match and with his 24 years of age he is beneficial to a club for many years to come. Last season Bale scored 21 goals and gave 8 assists in the Premier League. He was chosen as both PFA Young Player and Players’ Player of the Year. A unique talent indeed, but isn’t he still just that – a talent?

Ronaldo was also 24 when Real Madrid bought him. However, in contrast to Bale who has not won a title yet, Ronaldo had won 9 titles at the time of his transfer and had far more experience on an international level. Ronaldo was, and is, a guarantee for success. Bale has yet to prove that – making him less valuable.

Another point is the player’s commercial value. Two weeks ago Score and Change posted about the European transfer market, touching upon the importance of a player’s commercial value to a club. Compared to players like Ronaldo, Neymar or Messi, Bale’s commercial value does not seem to be in the same league. Which comes all down to his status. Bale is a star in the making, and definitely almost there, but a real star he is not quite yet.

Bale’s ‘value components’ come of worst compared to Ronaldo (2009). For sure Bale is a talent worth a lot of money, but 98 million Euros is just excessive. Evidently Real Madrid assigns him extra value, value few others can see.