Gareth Bale will earn £150M ($182M) over the next six years in salaries and bonuses "after signing a contract extension with Real Madrid until 2022 that will make him the best-paid player in the world," according to Ed Aarons of the London GUARDIAN. Real Madrid confirmed on Sunday the 27-year-old has "committed his future to the club" he joined in Sept. '13 for a then world-record transfer fee of £85M. Negotiations over an extension "have been continuing for several months" between Real and Bale’s representative, Jonathan Barnett, with an agreement reached a few weeks ago. It is understood the contract is worth more than £600,000 ($729,300) a week before tax with the buyout clause set at €1B ($1.1B). It is "believed to be one of the biggest in the history of the sport." That is the equivalent to around £350,000 ($425,460) a week after tax, more than the estimated £288,000 ($350,000) Real pays Cristiano Ronaldo. Negotiations over a new deal for the Portuguese "have not yet been finalised." The contract ends "any lingering doubt that Bale would remain in Spain despite speculation he could return to the Premier League." Real Madrid has been "looking to tie down" its leading players as it fights a FIFA transfer ban for breaching rules governing the transfer and registration of players aged under 18 (GUARDIAN, 10/30).
