Italian clubs should not sign ‘over-rated’ Tottenham star Gareth Bale – Claudio Gentile

Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur

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Italy’s World Cup winning defender Claudio Gentile has urged Serie A’s big clubs not to try and sign Tottenham Hotspur‘s Gareth Bale in the summer.

Bale was recently voted PFA Player of the Year after an impressive season which has seen him, most notably, hit a stunning hat-trick at San Siro against defending champions Inter in the Champions League.

Bale has many admirers throughout Europe, with reports saying Chelsea will make a £40 million bid for the Welsh winger, but Gentile, who is famous for shackling Diego Maradona in the 1982 World Cup, is not among them.

The renowned hard-man told the Mirror: “I do not think Gareth Bale is a champion. He’s over-rated.

“His name appeared in the limelight only because he scored three goals in the Champions League match against Inter.

“This is not the kind of player that makes you step up to another level.”

This season, Bale has scored 11 goals in all competitions and he is currently ranked 58th in the Castrol EDGE Rankings above the likes of Franck Ribery (60th), Didier Drogba (70th) and Cesc Fabregas (91st).

However, the Welshman and Spurs face a battle if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League. They are currently sitting in fifth place in the Premier League four points behind Manchester City with just five games to play, and face a daunting trip to Chelsea this afternoon.