McElhenney: Offer to Bale is 'still on the table'

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney has reiterated his desire to bring Gareth Bale to the club and said “the offer is still on the table” for the former Real Madrid star.

Bale had turned down McElhenney’s earlier overtures to coax him out of retirement for “one last magical season,” after Wrexham secured promotion to the English Football League in 2023.

Following Wrexham’s second successive promotion this season that saw them climb into League One, McElhenney has returned to Bale with the same offer.

“Gareth Bale is still technically available. I don’t know, I made the plea last year and I’m just going to tell Gareth that the offer’s still on the table,” McElhenney said.

“We’ll let you off for golf, whenever you need to get off. As long as you come to training once or twice a week we can figure out how to get you 10 minutes on the pitch.

“And the golf courses — Wales is amongst the most beautiful countries in the world.”

Bale called time on his storied career in January 2023, after guiding Wales to their first-ever World Cup in Qatar in 2022. The 34-year-old rose to prominence at Tottenham, for whom he scored 71 goals across two spells, but it was at Real Madrid where he gained superstar status.

He won 21 trophies during his nine years at Madrid, a haul that includes five Champions League titles. He joined MLS side LAFC in 2022 and despite making just 13 appearances for the club, he wrote himself into their history books. He scored a 128th minute equaliser in the 2022 MLS Cup Final to force the game into penalties, which LAFC went on to win and lift their first MLS Cup.