Real Madrid Transfer News: Gareth Bale Defended by David Beckham Amid Exit Talk

Former Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham knows plenty about the pressures that come with pulling on the iconic Los Blancos jersey and has defended Gareth Bale amid speculation of a move back to the Premier League.

After winning the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in his first year at the Santiago Bernabeu, Bale endured a difficult second campaign in the Spanish capital, with reports swirling about a move to Manchester United or Chelsea. As reported by Ben Nagle of the MailOnline, supporters kicked Bale’s car and roundly booed him as he left the training ground last season.

The early signs in his third term with the club have been positive, and Beckham has backed Bale to eventually win over the doubters, per Harry Pratt of the Daily Star:

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In my first season we didn’t win La Liga and people were talking about me going to Chelsea. But I was happy in Madrid and knew as long as I worked hard the Real fans would notice that and that I would gradually win them round. …

I got to know Gareth when I trained at Tottenham a few years ago—and he’s a fantastic guy with so much talent. I wasn’t surprised when Real Madrid signed him for the amount they did. 

But, obviously, with that comes a lot of pressure. And when you are at Real Madrid, whether you sign for £1 million or £100 million, there is always pressure on you to perform.

In his first season, Gareth won the Champions League and scored in the final—that was unbelievable for him. But for me it is now that Gareth is showing why he is such a great character.

"

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After the disappointments of the 2014-15 season, the last few months have been a lot better for Bale. Although he recently missed a spell for Real Madrid because of an injury, he has been handed added responsibility by manager Rafael Benitez, operating in a central role and thriving.

The Welshman was also vital to his country qualifying for their first major tournament since 1958, a feat the Los Blancos man celebrated in style, as we can see here:

With the France showpiece to come next summer, there’s a major incentive for Bale to continue turning in high-quality performances. But there are still plenty of challenges for him to face head-on with Real Madrid, and despite a sparkling start to the season, a lot of supporters still to win over.

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After finishing last season without mounting a major challenge in La Liga, the Champions League or the Copa del Rey, Los Blancos will be intent on putting things right this time around. Bale’s propensity for stepping up with key contributions in critical games will be key to any hopes the team have of winning a major honour.

As Spanish football expert Guillem Balague notes here, this season, for both club and country, is a chance for the Welshman to prove he is one of the very best players in the world:

From a Real perspective, Benitez will be hoping Bale returns from international duty recuperated and ready to start contributing to the cause once again. With Barcelona toiling, the spell up until January is a major opportunity for Los Blancos to establish a lead at the summit of La Liga, and their front-line firing will be essential if they’re to do so.

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Bale’s role in the team will continue to be a source of scrutiny, but it seems as though the dark days of last season have been put out of his mind. To fully convince at the Santiago Bernabeu, a player needs to live up to immaculate standards on a consistent basis, and the forward now seems primed to face that challenge head-on.