Cardiff City are still being linked with a huge move for Gareth Bale - and according to BBC Sport today, it looks like the Bluebirds are certainly pursuing a potential deal for the player.

The forward has been plying his trade for Real Madrid over the last nine years, ever since making a mega-money switch from England to Spain. He's played in over 250 games for the La Liga giants and has bagged 107 goals for the side along the way.

It's an incredible record and the 32-year-old remains a key player for his country of Wales to boot. However, as the seasons have progressed, he has fallen more and more out of favour with Madrid.

This season for example, he could manage only five La Liga outings with one goal - and he is now leaving the side after nearly a decade with the club and searching for pastures new.

Bale has played in the Premier League and at the highest level in Spain but it now looks like a surprise switch to the Championship and to his home country could actually be on the cards. Cardiff are seemingly prepared to offer him a deal at the club and that means the 32-year-old could end up playing in the second tier next season.

With interest from elsewhere too - such as the MLS - it might not be easy to tie him down to an agreement. However, BBC Sport has reported that Cardiff's chairman himself is heading up talks over a potential deal to try and convince the player to move to Wales over America.

It means that a deal could actually be a very real possibility - and with the Bluebirds pulling out all the stops to try and sign him, a agreement could eventually be reached.

The Verdict

Gareth Bale going to Cardiff is the kind of transfer that you probably never expected to happen - and yet here we are, with the transfer looking fairly likely.

The Bluebirds fans will be delighted to hear that the club are seemingly really pushing for a deal to happen. He might be into his thirties now but the forward can still produce the goods given regular football, as he has shown for his country and over the years with Madrid.

The Spanish giants though have been unable to give him the first-team football that he craves and a change of scenery for the 32-year-old would probably do him the world of good and could help rejuvenate his career. It would certainly stand him in good stead for the World Cup if he moved to Cardiff and played frequently, which appears to be the likely scenario.

If he does play in the Championship next year, then he could have opposition defences living in fear. It would be a huge coup for the Bluebirds and could really help them push up the division, even if he only signs for them until the January transfer window.