Simon Jordan has labelled Gareth Bale a 'busted flush', and says he's unconvinced the Wales superstar is still capable of having a positive impact in the Premier League.
Bale is a free agent after bringing a trophy-laden nine-year stay at Real Madrid to an end earlier this summer, and there is already plenty of speculation over his next move, with hometown club Cardiff City believed to be a potential option.
However, there could yet be interest from the Premier League, where Bale spent last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur - his second spell in north London.
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But Jordan, who used to own Premier League side Crystal Palace, clearly isn't convinced the 32-year-old can still have an impact in the top flight, and admits he'd be reluctant to pursue a deal were he still involved with the Eagles.
Speaking to the talkSport YouTube channel, the outspoken pundit was asked: "If you were still at Palace, would you have taken a punt on Gareth Bale?"
In response, Jordan launched into a scathing rant, beginning with his memories of watching the Welshman burst onto the scene with Southampton.
He began: "Gareth Bale troubles me, because he's an immensely talented player. Ironically, I think he made his debut against Crystal Palace when I owned them, and we were told about this revelation that was coming out of their academy set-up, and what a player he was.
"He came on against us and hit a 35-yard freekick that nearly took the goalkeeper into the back of the net."
Bale actually made his Southampton debut as a starter against Millwall back in 2006, and none of his five goals for the Saints were against Palace.
But while his memory of those formative years might be a little rusty, Jordan still believes the manner of how his spell in Madrid ended leaves the winger open to questions over whether he can still perform at the highest level.
"Obviously he's gone on to Real Madrid and been this enigma and I can't understand, having lived in Spain for 20 years myself, and knowing what they're like, from Steve McManaman and other players that have gone there, why Gareth Bale has fallen out of favour so much at Madrid. Why he's become this caricature of the modern day footballer that wants to spend more time off the pitch than on it with the adages of Wales. Golf. And then Madrid.
"His season at Tottenham [on loan] was poor. You can make the case that he scored some goals and actually his goals per game ratio was moderately high.
"But if you look at the games he scored goals in, they weren't against that compelling an opposition."
While many in the capital are dreaming of a sensational move to the Bluebirds, plenty still believe Bale is capable of playing in the Premier League, including former Wales boss Chris Coleman.
But Jordan clearly has his doubts.
"If I was at Palace, first of all his agent Jonathan Barnett is not someone I'm particularly fond of, so that conversation would have been difficult.
"Secondly, I think Gareth Bale is a busted flush. I think you'll get a very limited amount of games out of him. It's like a boxer. The last thing to go is their punch. With Gareth Bale, you'll get individual moments of brilliance.
"But in the Premier League, you need more than that.
"If I was doing him on a pay-and-play deal and he wasn't polluting my dressing room with nonsense about what he may or may not have once earned and what he may or may not have once done, then possibly.
"But I don't think so. I don't think it's a fit that I would have been particularly comfortable with.
"It's got a sort of Hollywood feel about it, but not with an A-lister.
"He's an A-lister on paper, but a B-lister on performance."
