Real Madrid is inching closer to acquiring Gareth Bale. However, the price for the trade will likely including one of its youngest players.
According to numerous reports, Tottenham Hotspur wants the Spanish giants to pay 100 million euros for Bale and to also include young forward Alvaro Morata in the deal.
Previous reports indicated that the English club wanted defender Fabio Coentrao or midfielder Luka Modric included, but the most recent news indicates that the club has opted for a forward instead.
Tottenham recently acquired Spanish striker Roberto Soldado and 20-year-old Morata could potentially form a lethal tandem with his countryman.
The move of Morata leaves Real Madrid with minimal options up top; its only natural striker is Karim Benzema. However, manager Carlo Ancelotti has had a tendency to utilize superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as a center forward throughout the preseason and could see this as a long term strategy. Benzema is coming off a rough season with Madrid and has been known for his lack of consistency. Ronaldo has been a prolific goal scorer throughout his time with Madrid and would benefit from this switch up top. He would get less space than he is accustomed to on the left wing, but he would also have more scoring chances as well.
Bale would join a Madrid midfield that is stacked with talent. Isco, Mesut Ozil, Kaka, Ronaldo, Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso, and Luka Modric are among those battling for a starting position.
The arrival of Bale has created some questions about Ronaldo's long term future with the club. Former Madrid president Ramon Calderon even stated that the move for Bale is made out of fear of a Ronaldo departure.
"I think the president has put all he has on the table [for Bale] just in case he cannot get the renewal of Cristiano," Calderon said. "He is afraid that, at some moment, Cristiano will go and that would be very bad news for Real Madrid."
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