CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Gareth Bale said Wales' qualification for the World Cup in Qatar will influence the next stage in his career as he weighs up which team to join after leaving Real Madrid.
One thing is for certain, though.
“I’m not going to Getafe, that’s for sure," Bale said Friday.
That came in response to the president of the Spanish club, Angel Torres, saying Wednesday he had been offered the Wales captain by Bale's agent.
was quickly denied by Bale’s management team and Bale himself has played down the move.
Bale has been linked with a move to his hometown club Cardiff, as well as Newcastle and teams in the United States. He is leaving Madrid after nine years as his contract expires at the end of the month.
“I’ll have plenty of time to go on holiday and decide my future then,” said Bale, who helped Wales beat Ukraine on Sunday to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
“For sure, it (the World Cup) influences it. I just want to play games to be as fit as I can going into the World Cup. Once I get back into playing regular football, my body will get more robust and a bit better, rather than in and out. It’s very difficult when you’re in and out of a team to get a rhythm in terms of your fitness and health."
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
