Ally McCoist believes Gareth Bale should reject advances from Cardiff City and sign for Newcastle United. Real Madrid decided against renewing the Welsh superstar’s contract after nine trophy-laden years at the Bernabeu.
With the World Cup looming - Wales’ first since 1958 - rumours of an early retirement for Bale have been placed on hold as he aims to captain his country in Qatar. A short-term deal to allow him to retain his fitness is mooted, with hometown club Cardiff vying for his signature.
However, former Rangers and Sunderland striker McCoist thinks the 32-year-old is capable of competing at a higher level than the Championship - and has urged Newcastle to sign the forward.
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“I’m looking at it and clearly there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to go back and play for your hometown club,” he told talkSPORT. “I think it is admirable, to say the least. However, I still feel that he’s got an awful lot to offer at the highest level, I really do.
“You watch him in the internationals and he’ll be all geared up for the World Cup in Qatar and I just think that surely there are Premier League clubs out there. Automatically, I just think that Newcastle would be ideal.”
Radio station solleague and former Magpies coach Dean Saunders also backed his compatriot to join Newcastle a fortnight ago. The ambitious project on Tyneside was cited as a reason for Bale to join the Saudi-backed revolution.
“If I could pick a club for him to go to now, I’d say sign for Newcastle,” Saunders said. “They’ve got a project; they’re going in the right direction - he would slot in.
“The fans right now in Newcastle, because I’ve been there and I worked there - and I realise how much they love the club. Right now they could sell 80,000 season tickets.”
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