Gareth Bale has said his heartfelt connection to Cardiff City is behind his efforts to help buy the club.
Speaking publicly for the first time about the proposed takeover on Monday night, Bale confirmed his involvement with an as yet unidentified US-led consortium aiming to take control of the now League One Bluebirds.
Cardiff, Bale’s hometown club, were relegated from the Championship last season and recently appointed Brian Barry-Murphy as their new head coach.
"We are interested in getting Cardiff. It's my home club, it's where I grew up and my uncle used to play for them," Bale told Sky Sports at the premiere of F1: The Movie.
"To be involved with an ownership group would be a dream come true."
The 35-year-old former Wales captain, who retired from professional football in 2023, was previously linked with other takeover ventures — including one involving Plymouth Argyle — but says his focus is now firmly on the Bluebirds.
"It [Cardiff] is a club close to my heart. It's where I grew up and I would love to be able to be a part of growing Cardiff and taking it to the Premier League where it belongs.
"I know how amazing the Welsh fans and Cardiff fans are. It would be amazing to try and do something together."
Bale is understood to be working behind the scenes with the consortium, which reportedly submitted a letter of intent to Cardiff’s Malaysian owner Vincent Tan.
While that approach is believed to have been turned down, Bale insists efforts are ongoing to secure a deal.
"We are trying to engage with Cardiff and more news will come out on that in the future but hopefully we can get something done."
Bale’s interest in owning and controlling a slice of Welsh football and his desire to contribute to its growth mirrors recent moves from other sporting icons.
His former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric joined Swansea City as an investor and co-owner earlier this year.
Modric, who won six Champions League titles with Madrid and the 2018 Ballon d’Or, expressed his own ambition to help raise Swansea’s profile.
"This is an exciting opportunity. Swansea has a strong identity, an incredible fanbase and the ambition to compete at the highest level," said the Croatia international.
READ MORE: Plymouth Refuse To Comment On Gareth Bale Ownership Talks
If successful, Bale would follow in Modric’s footsteps by taking a leadership role at an EFL club.
The former Real Madrid star is Wales’ all-time leading men’s goalscorer and one of the most decorated players in Welsh football history.
After leaving Madrid in 2022, Bale had been linked with a swansong at Cardiff but opted instead for a short stint with LAFC in the MLS, where he helped the club win the MLS Cup.
He led Wales at the 2022 World Cup and featured in two European Championship campaigns before hanging up his boots.
Cardiff, now entering a new chapter under Barry-Murphy, would be boosted significantly by Bale’s involvement, both symbolically and financially.
The former forward’s links to the Welsh capital and the club’s fan base are strong, and his arrival in a leadership role would be seen as a statement of intent.
READ MORE: Brian Barry-Murphy Brings Guardiola And Maresca Blueprint To Cardiff City
