Wales Legend Renews Effort to Buy Hometown Club
Gareth Bale has confirmed that his investment consortium has submitted a new and improved offer to buy Cardiff City, the club from his hometown and the team he has long expressed a desire to help transform.
The five-time Champions League winner, who retired in 2023 after a glittering career with Southampton, Tottenham, Real Madrid, and LAFC, is leading a group aiming to take full control of the Welsh side.
Fresh Proposal on the Table
Speaking on Front Office Sports Today, Bale revealed that the group has made a renewed bid to current owner Vincent Tan.
“It’s exciting news — we have a brand new offer on the table. It’s recently just gone in,” said the 35-year-old.
“We think it’s a great offer, one that we’re very happy with. We think it’s very fair, if not more than fair, and it’s something we hope the current owners will take seriously.”
“We’d love them to accept so we can take full control and get on with what we want to do — and create Cardiff into a club that we know it can be.”
The revised offer follows reports in June that Bale’s group had initially tabled a £40 million bid for the club. It’s unclear how much the new offer exceeds that figure, but Bale suggested it reflects their strong commitment and ambition.
Vincent Tan’s Reluctance to Sell
Cardiff City’s current owner, Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan, has invested over £200 million into the club since purchasing it in 2010. Sources suggest he has shown limited interest in selling, despite Cardiff’s recent struggles and relegation from the Championship last season.
So far, the club has made no public comment on the approach or the renewed offer.
Bale’s Longstanding Ambition
Bale’s passion for Cardiff is no secret. In June, he described the prospect of owning the club as “a dream come true,” outlining a vision that includes restoring the Bluebirds to the Premier League.
“We’ve been speaking about it, trying to engage with Cardiff,” Bale told Sky Sports last month. “More news will come out on that in the future and hopefully we can get something done.”
Before his move to Major League Soccer in 2022, Bale was heavily linked with a return to Wales to play for Cardiff, but ultimately joined LAFC. He went on to win the MLS Cup, scoring a dramatic equaliser in the final before his team triumphed on penalties.
He also captained Wales at the 2022 World Cup, featuring in all three group-stage matches before retiring in January 2023.
A New Era on the Pitch, Too
Cardiff City are entering a period of major transition on and off the field. After finishing bottom of the Championship last season, the club now faces a campaign in League One — their first in the third tier since 2002-03.
They are now managed by Brian Barry-Murphy, the former head of Manchester City’s elite development squad, who was appointed to guide the Bluebirds through their rebuild.
While fans await news on potential new ownership, the current focus is on stabilising the club and laying the groundwork for a return to higher divisions.