It has not yet been possible to verify who, aside from Bale, is involved in the interested consortium – or what kind of wealth they have.
Although Bale was handsomely rewarded during his career when he was once the costliest footballer on the planet – as well as having investments in property, Welsh whiskey business Penderyn and some bars in Cardiff and Bristol – his bank balance is not of a club-owning level.
Last year, he made it to the Sunday Times’ Rich List with an estimated wealth of £70m, though did not chart in the 2025 edition.
To put that figure in context, Cardiff’s owner Tan had £68m worth of loans owed to him by the club at the end of their last published accounting period in May 2024.
In total – according to their most recent financial statements – the Bluebirds are carrying loans of more than £100m, some of which are to a company linked with chairman Dalman.
How any deal would factor in those debts remains to be seen.
Tan has previously exchanged debt into equity having put in an estimated £200m-plus into the club in one form or another since taking over in 2010.
Furthermore, the yearly accounts have long made reference to the ongoing reliance on Tan’s financial support. Losses over the past three seasons have averaged around £1.5m per month.
There is an agreement that Tan will continue to help plug those gaps between turnover and expenses, even with the club’s relegation to League One set to hit revenue by as much as £10m.
And despite scaling back some of his business interests in recent years – including selling a minority stake in Bale’s former club LAFC – Tan still has the money to do that.
In Malaysia, where his conglomerate Berjaya Corporation is based, he has involvement in several companies and businesses including mobile phone networks, financial institutions, supermarkets, hotels, property and much more.
In April, financial publication Forbes estimated his wealth at $770m – or more than £550m.
It is one of the reasons Tan has not held much serious interest in selling the club. Despite his absence, those close to him have routinely stressed he retains a strong interest and passion in the club’s success.
And it is also why, on the subject of selling in the past, there has been seemingly little interest unless it was of a price in excess of its realistic, business value.
It suggests any offer would have to be too big for Tan to turn down.
In his most recent major interview with Welsh media – three years ago – he said he had received many approaches but had no interest in selling, adding that only returning the club to the Premier League would make a deal financially viable.
Ironically, in reference to the criticism he has faced from fans during his ownership, he added: “To those guys who want ‘Tan out’, they should ask a rich Welshman, probably a billionaire, to buy this club and take it to the Premier League and keep them there for 10 years because that is my goal.”
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