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Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist believes Gareth Bale should sign for Newcastle United this summer instead of hometown club Cardiff City.

The 32-year-old’s nine-year spell at La Liga giants Real Madrid will officially come to an end when his contract expires next week.

Bale enjoyed a trophy-laden stay with Madrid, which included lifting three La Liga and five Champions League titles.

That is despite the Wales international being vilified by Madrid supporters and the Spanish media during the latter stages of his career at the Bernabeu.

The former Tottenham Hotspur winger has held talks over a shock move to boyhood club Cardiff, something that McCoist has questioned.

McCoist insists Bale should remain at the top level and views Newcastle as the “ideal” destination.

What Ally McCoist said

He told talkSPORT: “I’m looking at it and clearly there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to go back and play for your hometown club.

“I think it’s admirable, to say the least. However I still feel that he’s got an awful lot to offer at the highest level, I really do.

“You watch him in the internationals and he’ll be all geared up for the World Cup in Qatar and I just think that surely there are Premier League clubs out there.

“Automatically, I just think that Newcastle would be ideal.”

McCoist isn’t the only one

McCoist isn’t the only pundit to tip Bale for a move to St James’ Park.

Just last week, former Magpies assistant Dean Saunders offered a similar reponse.

“If I could pick a club for him to go to now, I’d say sign for Newcastle,” Saunders said.

“They’ve got a project; they’re going in the right direction – he would slot in.

“The fans right now in Newcastle, because I’ve been there and I worked there – and I realise how much they love the club – right now they could sell 80,000 season tickets.”

Bale already has one eye on November when he is set to lead Wales into their first World Cup finals since 1958.