With his current deal earning him a paltry £260,000 a week, it’s a wonder how Gareth Bale manages to put food on the table of his large Madrid mansion.
Thankfully for the Welshman, things could be about to change. The Real Madrid winger will reportedly negotiate a new deal with his club in the coming weeks and, according to The Times, will be looking to tie up a contract that brings him close to what Cristiano Ronaldo earns.
Bale inked a six-year deal worth £525,000 before tax when completing his switch from Tottenham three years ago. As for Ronaldo, his current contract sees him make a staggering gross weekly wage of £750,000. With the top rate of Spanish tax standing at 52%, Bale will reportedly receive in excess of this if he can agree a new contract, with Ronaldo also said to be looking to secure another pay increase. If both players are successful,  their new deals would trump the £18m-a-year earned by Lionel Messi at Barcelona.
Any new contract for Bale at the Bernabéu is also expected to include a buy-out clause, which some reports claim could be as high as £420m.
For now though, nothing’s done. And until it is done, get used to hearing story after story about him potentially heading to Manchester United.
Catch up with the latest episode of Football Friday Live:
