Former Barcelona player Mark Hughes has advised Gareth Bale to remain in Spain with Real Madrid.
Hughes, now manager of Stoke City and former boss of the Welsh national team, played for Barca for one season in 1986 and believes Bale should forget any talk of a move back to England.
Cardiff-born Bale has been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea recently but Hughes insists Spain is still the best place for him.
“Gareth has done everything right up to now and is having a huge impact over there. If he can he should stay as long as possible,” Hughes told BBC Sport Wales.
“When you get the chance to go to a club such as Barcelona or Real Madrid you must go with the intention of trying to stay there as long as you can until they actually kick you out of the door.”
Hughes played for Manchester United and Bayern Munich in his glittering career but admits he made an error in not staying in the Catalan capital for longer.
“It’s such an opportunity. From my own personal experience I made the mistake of thinking I’d just go for a couple of years then come back home and continue my career, which is totally the wrong attitude.
“It was difficult and at times I was out there on my own. If you have good support, which by all accounts Gareth has over there, I’d say stay as long as you can because one day you’ll look back and realise what a great experience it was.
“It shapes you as a person and an individual. The effect it should have on you in later years should not be underestimated,” he concluded.
