Reus rumours piling pressure on Bale

9 years ago

Reus rumours piling pressure on Bale

Gareth Bale is feeling the heat at Real Madrid. Booed by fans in the 3-0 win over Espanyol last weekend and still struggling to find the consistency he has sought since moving from Tottenham in the summer of 2013, the Welshman now faces a new threat in the shape of possible summer signing Marco Reus.

Madrid president Florentino Perez is keen to bring in an attacking player every summer and Reus is top of the list for 2015, ticking all the boxes as one of the few players in the world game likely to be available and that can conceivably improve this team.

Reports of a done deal are premature, but Reus is said to be ready for the next step in his career after a difficult third season at Borussia Dortmund as Jurgen Klopp's side struggle at the wrong end of the Bundesliga.

The 25-year-old can take his pick from a number of interested clubs in the summer and Madrid are currently frontrunners for his signature.
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If Reus arrived in Madrid, one of their more marketable players would surely be sold to fund the deal and create space in the team, like when Mesut Ozil made way for Bale in 2013 and Angel Di Maria departed following the signing of James Rodriguez last summer.
Bale's work-rate and fitness were brought into question by the Madrid media back in October, with the local press pushing for fan favourite Isco to start on a permanent basis.
An injury to Luka Modric in November means both are now starting in the same side, but one of the two will probably drop down to the bench when the Croat returns to action next month. The club will face a difficult decision next summer if Reus joins the fray too.
"Bale is not on form at the moment, but the whole team has started the year badly," former Madrid and Spain winger Jose Amavisca toldGoal. "The season was planned in such a way that they peaked for the Club World Cup, but now they need to get going again - and so does Bale."
The Welsh winger was jeered by fans at the Bernabeu after he shot wide against Espanyol, having failed to release the ball for Ronaldo. That incident left the Portuguese clearly frustrated and came just a week after a similar action at Valencia when Bale went alone instead of passing to the unmarked Karim Benzema.
"Because it's Real Madrid, everything is exaggerated and everything is magnified," Amavisca added. "I still think Bale is uncomfortable playing on the right. We saw him on the left in the second half against Atletico (on Thursday) and he looked brighter, setting up the goal for Ronaldo. That's where he needs to be playing."