MEPs want world record Bale transfer to be investigated

Rob Conlon
Gareth Bale: Linked with United move again.

Gareth Bale: Linked with United move again.

Members of the European Parliament want Gareth Bale’s world record transfer to Real Madrid to be investigated by the European Commission, amid accusations of illegal state aid. 

Three MEPs have written to the Commission raising concerns that Spanish banks, which were subsequently bailed out by European taxpayers, provided guarantees for the transfer fee.

Real Madrid previously insisted they paid Tottenham €91million euros for the Welsh forward, as they did not want to upset Cristiano Ronaldo, however a report from Football Leaks confirmed Bale cost the Spanish giants €100million.

“Promissory notes were issued to Tottenham Hotspur, which subsequently seem to have been sold on to Spanish banks, which have now ended up assuming the risk for Bale’s record-breaking transfer fee,” read the question form signed by MEPs Daniel Dalton, Sander Loones and Ramon Termosa.

“Is it correct to state that bailed-out Spanish banks were offering promissory notes to Tottenham to act as a guarantee, thereby indirectly putting the liability on the Spanish and European taxpayers?”

Termosa, of the Spanish Convergencia party, added in a statement: “This would indirectly transfer the cost of the transfer to European taxpayers constituting illegal state aid.”