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Gareth Bale said in June 2025 that he was part of a group trying to acquire control of Cardiff City, and in July he said the group had submitted a new offer. Cardiff had not publicly confirmed accepting it in the reporting available through August 2025. That month, chairman Mehmet Dalman said Vincent Tan was not interested in selling at the time. The available record therefore leaves the question open; it does not establish that Tan’s ownership has ended.
What Gareth Bale said about buying Cardiff City
June 2025: Bale confirmed talks
On 23 June, Bale told Sky Sports that he was involved in a group seeking to engage with Cardiff. He described the club as his home club and said he wanted to help it grow and reach the Premier League. He also said being part of an ownership group would be a “dream come true.”
Bale was born and raised in Cardiff, and his uncle Chris Pike played for the club. Bale himself never played for Cardiff professionally, so his connection is personal rather than a former-player link.
July 2025: he said a new offer had gone in
On 11 July, Bale told Front Office Sports Today: “It’s exciting news, we have a brand new offer on the table, it’s recently just gone in.” He called the offer “very fair, if not more than fair,” and said the group hoped the owners would take it seriously. Those were Bale’s descriptions; he did not disclose the offer’s terms or value.
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Were Bale’s takeover approaches accepted?
BBC Sport Wales reported on 20 June 2025 that Bale was part of a group that made direct contact with Tan about acquiring a controlling share, and that the initial approach was rejected before reaching boardroom discussion. A BBC explainer published on 4 July reported a second approach had received a similar response. Club sources told the BBC they had not received proposals that would make them seriously consider selling.
The July statement from Bale establishes that his group said it had submitted a new offer; it does not establish that Cardiff accepted it or that the owners entered formal negotiations. The BBC also said the consortium’s other members and financial capacity had not been verified. Their identities and funding should not be treated as confirmed.
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What Cardiff and Vincent Tan said about a sale
Tan’s position in April 2025
In an official club message dated 29 April 2025, after Cardiff’s relegation from the Championship, Tan said: “I am committed to getting us back.” He also rejected the suggestion that he did not care about the club. That statement records his position then; it does not show that he intends to remain owner indefinitely.
Dalman’s comments in August 2025
In August, chairman Dalman acknowledged approaches but distinguished them from a bid. He said Tan was not interested in selling at that time, and that he would need to know prospective buyers’ identities and see proof of funds, lawyers and accountants before treating a proposal as an offer. Dalman was quoted as saying: “For me to take anybody seriously, I need to know who they are in their entirety. I need to know proof of funds, preferably by a financial institution of some credibility.”
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The same August report attributed a figure of about £40 million to Dalman as the club’s last valuation. It was not an independently verified valuation, and it should not be presented as the value of Bale’s July offer: Bale did not disclose that offer’s terms.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Cardiff’s finances matter to a takeover
Any change of control would need to account for the club’s finances and existing shareholder support, not just the headline price. Cardiff’s 3 March 2025 financial update said shareholder and connected-party loans rose through net additional funding of £11.832 million in the year ended 31 May 2024. The club said Tan’s loans carried stated interest of 7%, which he had waived, and that there was no demand or pressure for repayment. These are figures and terms reported by the club for that accounting period.
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The club’s January 2025 board message said Tan remained committed and was funding the gap between income and costs. Together with his April statement, that gives context for his public position, but neither message determines whether he would accept a later sale proposal.
Debt and litigation also feature in accounts of the potential sale. Cardiff has a legal claim against FC Nantes relating to Emiliano Sala’s death; a claim or anticipated ruling is not cash already received. Separately, the club’s March financial update said it had recognized a £12 million receivable linked to a percentage of litigation proceeds as an exceptional item, describing it as non-refundable and not dependent on the litigation outcome. That accounting item should not be confused with any possible additional legal award.
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A takeover is not established simply because an interested group says it has made an offer. In this case, the public record through August 2025 leaves key questions unresolved: whether the buyers’ identities and funds were verified, whether the proposal sought control on terms acceptable to the current owner, and whether Tan was willing to sell. No comparable, confirmed competing bids are established in the reporting cited here.
The available reporting supports an account only through August 2025. It does not verify whether Cardiff received a later offer, agreed a sale, or changed ownership after that point. A current answer about whether Tan’s era has ended requires confirmation from a more recent announcement by the club, Tan, or Bale’s group.
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