Wales captain Gareth Bale has said he has held talks with Premier League second-tier Cardiff City about a possible move after his Real Madrid contract expires.

Bale has been closely linked with a free transfer to his hometown team following the end of his tumultuous nine-year spell in Madrid.

The 32-year-old striker, once the most expensive player in the world, is reportedly weighing the pros and cons of a move to Cardiff City ahead of the Wales World Cup final in Qatar in November.

His representatives confirmed to BBC Sport Wales that they were in talks with Cardiff President Mohamed Dalman.

Bale, who won the Champions League five times with the Royal Club, has many options on the table with teams in the NBA and his former clubs Tottenham and Newcastle who have expressed interest in his services.

But the Welsh star sparked speculation that he might prefer Cardiff by saying the level of football he plays ahead of the World Cup won’t be a deciding factor.

Bale has been seen at the Cardiff training ground, prompting some fans to say he is completing his move to Cardiff City. But the capital club shares its premises with the Welsh Football Association’s medical department, so Bale’s presence was linked to physical fitness.