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Rafael van der Vaart Says Gareth Bale Needs To 'Be An A***hole' To Succeed At Real Madrid

Rafael van der Vaart Says Gareth Bale Needs To 'Be An A***hole' To Succeed At Real Madrid

Bale's ex-Spurs teammate has offered him some words of advice amid uncertainty over his Real Madrid future.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Gareth Bale needs to be an 'a***hole' if he wants to succeed at Real Madrid.

Well, that's advice from his former teammate Raphael van der Vaart who has offered him some words of encouragement amid uncertainty about his future.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Bale's Real Madrid future has been plunged into doubt following the return of Zinedine Zidane.

Fans are on his back, too. He was jeered when he came off the pitch during El Clasico earlier in the season. He actually left the Bernabeu before the game finished.

However, Van der Vaart, who was teammates with Bale at Spurs, believes he needs to be more selfish in order to win over the disgruntled Real Madrid supporters.

"It's strange, but in Holland we say that sometimes you need to be an a***hole," the Dutchman said.

"You can also be a positive a***hole. He's worth €100m - they paid a lot of money and he has to do it. In his last year at Spurs, he took every free-kick, he decided everything.

"That's what he has to do [at Real]. I realise it's difficult, because you have so many good players, but he should do it more.

"Gareth is an amazing player but he's a person that has to feel the confidence.

"He has to feel he is welcome. But I know Real is a difficult club if you don't perform. It doesn't matter if you're Ronaldo, Bale or Van der Vaart - they'll throw you out after just one year."

Image: PA
Image: PA

The Welshman, who cost Real Madrid a then-world record transfer fee of £85 million in 2013, has since been subject to intense transfer speculation.

Bayern Munich and Manchester United have reportedly expressed an interest in snapping up the 29-year-old in the summer transfer window.

Where will he be plying his trade at the start of next season? Let us know what you think.

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Topics: Football News, Football, Manchester United, El Clasico, gareth bale, Bayern Munich, Bernabeu, Wales, Real Madrid