Bale part of US-based consortium’s Plymouth takeover bid

Gareth Bale, five-time European champion with Real Madrid and a Wales national team icon, has joined a US-based consortium aiming to purchase League One side Plymouth Argyle.

Negotiations with the private equity group are understood to be in their early phases.

Last month, Plymouth chairman Simon Hallett confirmed that a previously arranged sale of a club stake had collapsed.

If the deal goes through, Bale would become the latest high-profile figure to back a lower-tier English side. His former Madrid teammate Luka Modric acquired a minority share of Swansea City earlier this year, part of a takeover group that took control of the club in November 2024.

Similar moves have seen figures from outside traditional football ownership circles enter the sport. Former NFL star Tom Brady took on an advisory role with Birmingham City’s ownership, while the sensational profile of Wrexham surged under Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Plymouth tumbled back into League One after their 2024–25 Championship campaign ended in relegation. The club had appointed ex-England captain Wayne Rooney before the season, but his tenure unravelled. His successor, Miron Muslic, exited the role by season’s end, later signing with German outfit Schalke.

Former Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley, who also coached at Watford, assumed Plymouth’s managerial role on 13 June.

It remains uncertain what Bale’s involvement in club operations would be if the takeover proceeds. The 35-year-old, who also featured for Southampton and Tottenham during his career, announced his retirement from playing in January 2023.