Gareth Bale to remain at Real Madrid as a key figure should Benitez take over
Sports
By
Mirror
| May 27, 2015
Rafa Benitez has promised to build his Real Madrid team around Gareth Bale.
Benitez is understood to have impressed Real Madrid president Florentino Perez by telling him he sees 25-year-old Bale as being a central figure to his plans.
Former Liverpool and Chelsea boss Benitez is “99 per cent” certain to take over at the Bernabeu after Carlo Ancelotti’s dismissal as Real Madrid coach.
Benitez was on West Ham’s wish list to be their next manager after he left Napoli but the Spaniard played a clever waiting game to try and land the Real Madrid job.
And his promises on Bale proved to be the aces up his sleeve as Perez is determined to make record £86m signing work.
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Mirror Sport revealed last week that former Tottenham star Bale was staying in Madrid after his representatives held talks in Madrid.
Real Madrid were determined not to give up and sell Bale despite his disappointing second season which has led to Ancelotti’s departure.
Mirror Sport understands Benitez has bought into their big plans for Bale and has convinced Perez that he can make him a global superstar.
Benitez has promised to put an arm round his shoulder after Bale’s confidence was badly affected by this season in which Real Madrid finished empty handed.
But even more importantly, Benitez believes he can restructure the team and get Bale playing in a more central role, off the main striker and also working with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bale had a hugely successful first year in which Real Madrid won the Champions League but his second season has led to speculation that he may return to the Premier League.
Manchester United have been eyeing Bale as part of a player-plus-cash deal if they cannot persuade David De Gea to stay at Old Trafford.
But Bale wants to stay in Madrid - and Benitez’s appointment and his plans for the future will be music to the Welshman’s ears.
Benitez, who led Liverpool to the Champions League, is a surprise appointment but he did start out as a Real Madrid youth coach.
However, Benitez is known as a pragmatic and very tactical coach while he also knows the pressure is on him to deliver trophies in the face of fierce competition from Barcelona in la Liga and also on the Champions League stage.
Ancelotti is now expected to take a break because of a back problem while his assistant Paul Clement will return to England to become the new Derby boss.
Ancelotti’s agent Ernesto Bronzetti said: “At the moment, Ancelotti wants to take a years’ rest. That is his intention. Rafa Benitez is 99 percent Real Madrid coach.”