Friday 29 June 2018 17:42, UK
Gareth Bale’s future at Real Madrid remains in doubt and Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe thinks the Wales international would be best suited by a return to the Premier League.
Sky Sports News reported last week that Bale had yet to meet with representatives at the La Liga club after saying he had not played enough last season.
Those comments came just moments after the 28-year-old had helped Madrid to their fourth Champions League title in five years, and Defoe thinks his former Tottenham team-mate's response suggests he has "had enough".
Defoe told Sky Sports News' Transfer Talk podcast: "I would love to see him back in the Premier League, I think everyone would be excited about that.
"He has been linked with everyone. There is talk about him staying in Madrid, I've seen Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United. More United than any other club but I've even seen [Man] City.
"The Premier League suits him. If he came back there would be a massive buzz.
"Coming back after what he has achieved at Madrid and bringing that experience to another big club and to the players there, I think it would be massive.
"He needs to play. It was interesting from his interview after the Champions League final, I have never seen him like that.
"It was almost out of character, he normally keeps things close to his chest and doesn't say how he feels. He is a nice boy who usually gets his head down and plays.
"It was almost like he has had enough. He has said he needs to play football. I can imagine when he said that, all the top managers and chairmen would have been like: 'OK, bang, who is his agent?'"
