MADRID • Gareth Bale's new six-year Real Madrid contract will see him reportedly rake in well in excess of €115 million (S$175.45 million) as the Spanish giants bet on the Welshman to lead another glorious era at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The forward, who has won two Champions League titles in three years in Spain, solidifies his position as one of the highest earners in football along with the likes of Real team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona duo Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The 27-year-old is set to take home as much as £350,000 (S$595,000) a week after tax, according to British media, though figures vary wildly.
However, Ronaldo looks set to retain his status as the No. 1 wage-earner at the Bernabeu, with the Portuguese expected to become the latest Real star to extend his deal in the coming weeks.
Real have handed lucrative renewals to Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Lucas Vazquez to hold onto their key men with a one-year transfer ban imposed by Fifa to come over the next two transfer windows.
Real and their arch-rivals Barcelona have embarked on a fleet of renewals to ward off interest from the cash-rich English Premier League, backed by a £5 billion domestic TV deal.
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GARETH BALE'S WAGES
PER WEEK
£660k
PER WEEK (AFTER TAX)
£350k
PER HOUR (BASED ON 40-HOUR WORK WEEK)
£8,750
PER MINUTE
£146
Neymar reportedly rejected an astronomical offer from French Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint-Germain and extended his Barca deal to 2021. Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed at the club's annual general meeting on Saturday that contract negotiations with Luis Suarez and Messi are also under way.
Real have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the past 11 years as the highest-earning club, but were overtaken last season by Barca.
Bale joined Real for a then-world record fee of just more than €100 million from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013. That figure has since been eclipsed by Paul Pogba's €105 million move to Manchester United in August.
Despite the desire to keep 31-year-old Ronaldo at the Bernabeu for the rest of his career, Real president Florentino Perez has long believed Bale is the man to succeed Ronaldo as Real's best and most marketable player.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
