The Good, The Bad And The Ugly - A Farewell To Gareth Bale

So, it has come to pass and Real Madrid have spunked a whole load of cash on Tottenham's Gareth Bale as he becomes the world's most expensive player.

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Why Arsenal May Struggle In The Champions League This Season

The draw may have not been as lethal as it was with Celtic (Barcelona two years running?!) but Arsenal's Champions League group will be a difficult one to emerge from.

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A Bit Of Perspective On The Gareth Bale Saga

Real Madrid really are cheeky bunch of so and sos, aren't they?

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What Sort Of Season Will Real Betis Have?

It's fair to say that Real Betis have had an incredibly busy summer so far. They've plucked free agents from around the world and picked up players on very cheap deals. In fact, the small £5 million they've spent has seen a massive 13 players in total come into the club. However, they have had to replace 17 players that have either been sold, loaned or returned to their parent club - a total of 30 changes in personnel. An incredible figure, and as an Arsenal fan whose club have done very little in terms of incomings, I have been kept entertained by the business of Betis.

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Why Real Madrid Should Keep Di Maria

Now that the impending news of Gareth Bale's transfer to Real Madrid is likely to happen sooner rather than later, what future is there for Argentine winger Angel Di Maria? Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and Bale are likely to form the attacking trident behind Karim Benzema, which doesn't leave any room for a player that has been a regular ever since joining the club from Benfica in 2010. However, I believe that it would be a big mistake to let the tricky winger go and certainly a huge benefit to the rumoured clubs that are interested in him, such as Arsenal.

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3 Reasons Why Gareth Bale's Potential Move To Real Madrid May Not Be A Success

It is now widely expected that Tottenham star Gareth Bale will make his big-money move to La Liga giants Real Madrid this week, but is it a good move for the 23-year-old? Here are three reason why I think that the move may not work.

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Gareth Bale And Luis Suarez - Would They Be Missed?

Two footballers of similar skill, yet two completely different personalities. Both linked with moves away from their respective clubs this summer, Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez are both examples of the incredibly high standard of football England’s top flight possesses.  But at the same time, it is impossible to argue that they are both good adverts for the Premier League.

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A Closer Look At Nicolas Anelka

If you find yourself stumped on a football question in a pub quiz, the answer could well be Nicolas Anelka. One of the game’s most successful journeymen, let us take a look back at the Frenchman’s career. The list of top European clubs the striker has played for is almost endless: PSG, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbahce, Chelsea, Juventus and Bolton. Okay, maybe not Bolton, although he did lead the Trotters into the UEFA Cup for only the second time in the club’s history.

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Gareth Bale vs Mesut Ozil - The Statistics

With news of Real Madrid suggesting that Mesut Ozil can leave the Santiago Bernabeu if Manchester United meet their £38m price-tag, we at Football Friends decided to dig into the Germany international's statistics and compare them to the man who is fancied to replace him should he go - Gareth Bale.

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Can Tottenham Be Stronger Without Gareth Bale?

The impending news of Gareth Bale's transfer to Real Madrid is the worst kept secret of the past month. Although numerous reports have been denied by Daniel Levy, Florentino Perez and the player himself, it would be remarkable if he actually ended up playing for Tottenham this season after all the speculation. If, then, the news that we are all expecting to hear is finally announced to the world and made official, what would be the best way for Spurs to reinvest the money and which positions require the most attention?

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Is There Trouble In Monaco?

Now that Monaco have failed with their appeal regarding tax benefits, and therefore must comply with French law and income tax rates - will they end up having to sell star players that only a few weeks ago had signed contracts, because of the promise of huge wages and a project that was going to be the envy of the football world?

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Are Barcelona Back To Their Best?

The opening day of La Liga saw Real Madrid struggle in their match against Betis and left it late to secure a 2-1 victory. Whilst there is clearly still work for Carlo Ancelotti to do to get the team playing as he would like, their fierce rivals were also beginning the season under new management and they had a completely different experience.

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Battle Of The Playmakers - Which Real Madrid Star Would Fit In Best At Manchester United?

Manchester United are in desperate need of a central midfielder or two, we know that. But with a host of big money names already deciding to either stay put or move elsewhere, options are running out. It has come to light, according to ESPN, that the next two names on the list are Real Madrid's Mesut Ozil and Luka Modric. But who would fit better into the Red Devils squad?

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Should A Salary Cap Be Introduced In Football?

With the news that Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new and improved deal with Real Madrid that makes him the second highest paid player in the world, is it time that football introduced a worldwide salary cap before it ends up destroying itself with astronomical wage bills?

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Could Former Liverpool Star Shine At Juventus?

Juventus are looking at pursuing another veteran playmaker to take over from Andrea Pirlo, that being Spanish international Xabi Alonso.

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