Gareth Bale’s representatives said on Wednesday they had held talks with Cardiff about a possible move to the Championship club following the departure of the Wales captain from Real Madrid.
Bale is strongly linked with a move to his home side after the end of his turbulent nine-year spell in Madrid.
The 32-year-old attacker, once the world’s most expensive player, is said to be considering the pros and cons of joining the Bluebirds before playing for Wales at the World Cup in Qatar in November.
His representatives confirmed to BBC Sport Wales that they are negotiating with Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman.
Bale, a five-time Champions League winner, has several options on the table with MLS teams, his former club Tottenham and Newcastle all listed as possible destinations.
But he fueled speculation that he might prefer Cardiff by saying the level of football he plays for the World Cup will not be a determining factor.
Speaking to Wales on international duty last week, Bale said: “I don’t really know if the standard makes a big difference. A football match is a football match.
“I need time to think about what’s the best move for me, my family, my kids, and hopefully we’ll sort that out in the summer. I have options.”
Bale, who has family in Cardiff, was making around £600,000 ($736,000) a week at Real and would have to make a significant pay cut to sign with Steve Morison.
But his agent Jonathan Barnett said in a recent interview that “whatever Gareth does next is not about money”.
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The sight of Bale on the Cardiff training ground on Wednesday led some fans to claim he was on the cusp of completing the move to the Bluebirds.
But Cardiff shares facilities with the Football Association of Wales medical staff and it is clear that Bale was there to do physio work.
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