Ex-footballer and pundit Kevin Campbell has warned Everton off making a move for out of contract Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale this summer.
The Welshman will depart the Spanish giants after nine illustrious years at the Santiago Bernabeu where he picked up five Champions League medals and three La Liga titles.
And former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp recently claimed the former Tottenham Hotspur superstar is a player Frank Lampard should take a gamble on and that the Welsh legend has another year at the top level in him, calling on the Toffees to take advantage.
However, former Everton striker Campbell strongly disagrees and argued that signing Bale would be yet another mistake from the club owners in a long and arduous list of them in recent years.
He told Goodison News: “Listen, Harry Redknapp can say what he likes from the comfort of his sofa.
“I think Everton are going in a different direction.
“I think if Everton are going to get a star player, it’s not going to be one that’s on the decline.
“I think if they’re going to invest that sort of money, you might as well invest it and go for a younger one – a marquee signing who you can build the team around.
“Has Gareth Bale still got talent and quality? He does. But he’s on the decline, let’s be honest. And Everton don’t want to be doing that again.”
TIF Thoughts on Campbell’s comments…
On a short-term deal, if the wages aren’t an issue, we think Bale would be a valuable asset to many Premier League clubs given his form in the top flight.
However, Campbell is right in that Everton are going in a different direction these days, as they cannot afford another expensive mistake yet again considering the issues that have plagued the club hierarchy for a number of years.
Any potential Everton interest in the Welshman would be a concern, as they should be building for the future of their forward line instead of finding a stopgap for a short-term solution which could ultimately cost them millions in wages with little return on investment.
Not only are Bale’s wage demands concerning, but his availability and fitness should also be a cause for trepidation, with the 32-year-old sustaining eight injuries last season alone with Real Madrid, all while being dubbed a “controversial” figure.
Lampard may be looking to recruit young, hungry and exciting players at Goodison as he did for Derby County and in his second season at Chelsea – so we agree with Campbell and feel Bale is a player he should strongly avoid.