Gareth Bale Made The Right Choice Rejecting China Move

The news exploded this weekend. Gareth Bale was on the verge of completing a move to join Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning, as the Welsh star’s camp was reportedly discussing a move with the CSL outfit that would have made Bale the highest-paid player in the world.

Jiangsu were keen to offer £1M-per-week wages in order to entice Bale to leave Los Merengues, and both parties were close to reach an agreement on Saturday. But things fell apart on Sunday, and now Bale is not going to move to the CSL since the league’s transfer window closes this next Wednesday.

Moving to China would have been a huge mistake for Gareth Bale

Rejecting that kind of money might be difficult, but there’s no question Bale made the right move here. Moving to China would have eventually killed his career as a top footballer, and his reputation could have taken another hit as well. And that’s something the Welshman does not need at this stage of his career.

Plus, what’s Bale going to do in the Chinese Super League? He is leaps and bounds above all players in the league when it comes to quality. It would have not been a challenge for him, and he probably would have looked for greener pastures sooner than later. Plus, being in China could have also complicated Bale’s chances to remain as a top player since joining the CSL generally decreases a player’s reputation. It’s the same thing that used to happen with the MLS a few years ago.

Look at players such as Oscar, Hulk and, most recently, Anderson Talisca. All three disappeared off Europe’s radar as soon as they moved to the Chinese Super League. It’s not the retirement league it once was, but let’s be realistic here. No one can think the CSL will offer a remotely similar challenge to the one a player can find in a mid-tier European league, let alone a top competition.

We can’t forget the fact that Bale is only 30 years old and is on the prime of his career. What’s he going to do in China when he can still perform at a high level for a top European club? He needs to do what’s best for his career, especially considering he’s already financially set for life. And that is to stay in Europe.

So… what is going to happen with Bale’s future heading into next season?

The ramifications of this move might be huge, although they probably won’t change the fact that Bale won’t be playing for Real Madrid in the 2019-20 season. Manager Zinedine Zidane has said time and time again that the Welshman is likely to leave, although now it might be even more difficult to find a taker for his enormous wages. A loan might not be a possibility, either.

Real Madrid have the whole month of August to find a taker for Bale, but roughly two weeks if they want to sell him to a Premier League side. Time is not on their side, but they’re still lucky. The worst-case scenario would be to keep a dynamic, pacey winger who can change the course of the game in the squad. That’s something most teams in the world can only dream about.