Michael Laudrup has taken a pragmatic approach to assessing whether or not Real Madrid paid over the odds in signing Gareth Bale this summer.
Los Blancos paid out between €90m and a world record €100m in the final days of the transfer window to secure the Welshman’s services from Tottenham.
Madrid’s former attacking star was asked of the deal, as he was back in Spain this week preparing with Swansea for their Europa League tie at Valencia.
“A player is always worth what a club wants to pay,” Laudrup commented to reporters.
“And in this case there has been a club that wanted to pay that much, so he is worth it.
“You and I can name a price, but then if a third party does not want to pay it, the player is not worth it.
“In this case, yes, because a club has paid it.
“Bale is technically very good. How well he does depends on the expectations generated and for that you have to ask the people of Madrid, for example, what number of goals would gauge the success of his move?
“That depends on the club that has signed him.”
