Man Utd, Bayern or Tottenham? Finding a suitor for Bale may prove difficult

The question now isn't whether Gareth Bale will be a Real Madrid player next season, but rather which club will be knocking on the door at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for the Welshman.

Bale's terrible year has seen his value tumble after his heroics during last year's Champions League final. His place in the squad was put under threat after Zinedine Zidane's shock exit, but the Frenchman's return could be his only lifeline. With Cristiano Ronaldo leaving, this should have been Bale's chance to be the figurehead and lynchpin in a squad that was about to go through a transitional period.

But who wants Bale? There are not many teams that can afford the huge transfer fee and those who can are well stocked in their attacking ranks. Yet there are a few teams that could go for him, although the terms of his farewell are not going to be straightforward.

Manchester United

The Red Devils need a marquee signing to lay down a marker, especially as they have not won the Premier League title since the 2012/13 campaign. The hundreds of millions of euros spent haven't brought them any closer either, so they are still looking for a signing that will get them back fighting for the title. Bearing in mind that Madrid are sizing up Paul Pogba, this could open the door for negotiations.

Bayern Munich

Another year passes without the Bavarians winning the Champions League but while Bayern may seem an unlikely suitor, this could actually be a good fit with the likes of veterans Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben set to move on.

Tottenham Hotspur

The return of the prodigal son would be an ambitious shout, considering that Spurs have only just moved into a new, expensive stadium. They already have some excellent attacking options, too. Still, Bale will have only fond memories of his time at the old White Hart Lane and it must be said that Tottenham are another beast nowadays, so it won't be looked upon as much of a step back.