Gareth Bale is reportedly set to front a takeover bid at League One side Plymouth Argyle as the Welsh football icon looks set to switch his focus to the boardroom
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Gareth Bale looks across the first hole during a practice round prior to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 at the Old Course at St Andrews.
Gareth Bale has been linked with a potential takeover of Plymouth Argyle
(Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Gareth Bale is in talks to spearhead a potential takeover bid for Plymouth Argyle this summer. The ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid ace has been linked with a US-based investment group who are looking to buy the Championship club.
It comes after Plymouth's relegation from the second-tier last season, after finishing 23rd in the league. Bale is considered one of the finest Welsh talents to have ever played the game, with many major honours at various different clubs to his name.
Throughout his illustrious career, the 35-year-old has accumulated an impressive estimated net worth of £107million, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth.
Bale won his first trophy with Spurs in the 2007/08 season, securing the League Cup with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. His subsequent move to Real Madrid saw him win three La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues, among other domestic trophies.
He was also a pivotal figure for the Wales national team, scoring 41 goals and guiding the squad to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and World Cup qualification in 2022.
After a nearly two-decade-long career, Bale retired in 2023 with Los Angeles FC, where he claimed the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield during his brief spell in the US.
Towards the end of his career and into retirement, Bale has turned direction and become a businessman.
In 2017, he launched a bar in Cardiff named Elevens. Five years later, he opened another bar in Bristol, affectionately known as Par 59, reflecting his passion for golf.
Gareth Bale of Wales coaches his teammates.
Gareth Bale was a monumental figure for Wales(Image: Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
Bale holds a minority stake in Penderyn Distillery and has invested in the TGL golf league, spearheaded by sporting legends Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
The former Spurs sensation has also secured lucrative endorsement deals, collaborating with big-name brands such as Adidas, PlayStation and BMW throughout his footballing career and beyond.
Bale is happily wed to his childhood love, Emma Rhys-Jones, after they tied the knot officially in 2019 following years of dating. The couple are proud parents to four children - Alba, Nava, Axel and Xander - and frequently share joyful family moments on social media.
When not globetrotting for business or enjoying luxurious family holidays, Bale resides in a £4m mansion in the Vale of Glamorgan.
The sports star even boasts a bespoke three-hole golf course in his back garden, each hole replicating some of the most renowned golfing locations worldwide.
Rami Al Hajj (L) of Plymouth Argyle FC celebrates scoring a goal with Matthew Sorinola and Ryan Hardie (R).
Argyle were relegated to the Championship this season
These include the 17th at Sawgrass, the 'postage stamp' 8th at Royal Troon and the 12th at Augusta National - where his good friend McIlroy recently made history at the 2025 Masters in April.
Bale has dipped his toes into the world of punditry too, most recently making an appearance on TNT Sports during Tottenham's Europa League triumph over Manchester United. And he is now being lined up by the group looking at a potential takeover at Plymouth, according to the Telegraph.
Argyle supporters will be eagerly anticipating whether the Welsh icon, one of the most gifted footballers in recent memory, will wind up at Home Park following the appointment of Tom Cleverley as manager.
In May, Argyle's principal shareholder Simon Hallett hinted at potential investment in a letter to fans.
Gareth Bale looks on ahead of the 2024/2025 Europa League Final football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
Gareth Bale has gone into business and punditry since retirement(Image: Cesare Purini/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Hallett said: "We have been in talks with a prospective new investor in our club for over a year. Those talks led to an application for approval of that investment being lodged with the EFL in February. Unfortunately, negotiations have taken too long and the key information that both we and the EFL required to complete the deal has not been forthcoming.
"I no longer believe that news of the new investor is imminent. As a result, existing shareholders [I, Argyle Green and the Holliday family] will provide the funds to ensure that we stay on course with our plans.
"This means making funds available to ensure we have a competitive football budget to aim to return us to the Championship as soon as possible, as well as continued investment in Foulston Park.
"Our budget next season will be twice that we had the last time we were in League One. These additional funds equate to the same level of financial support that was written into the investor plan for year one."
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