Gareth Bale 'not fussed' as Paul Pogba takes transfer title

Gareth Bale slapped down the football press when they asked the Welshman if he was hurting at losing his status as the world's most expensive player to Paul Pogba.

The French midfielder cost Manchester United £89m when he moved last month to Old Trafford from Juventus, a figure surpassing the £85.3m that Real Madrid paid Tottenham for Bale in the summer of 2013.

Asked at a Uefa Champions League gala dinner on Thursday evening if he resented Pogba his new-found status, the Welshman replied: "I'm not fussed and I couldn't care less."

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And while such details might obsess the world's football media, record transfer fees don't appear to have the same fascination for the players. "None of the players have pulled my leg on it," explained Bale, when asked if his Real Madrid teammates had teased him about now being only the second most expensive player in the world.

The questions then turned to this season's Champions League, and the fact that the final is being held in Bale's home city of Cardiff. A statto who'd clearly done their homework informed the Welshman that should Real Madrid retain their European title in May he would become only the sixth player to win the European Cup or Champions League in his home city.

"That would be nice," replied Bale, who probably didn't know, and may not have cared, that he'd be joining an exclusive club comprising Enrique Mateos and Miguel Munoz (Real Madrid, 1957, Madrid), Alex Stepney (Manchester United, 1968, London), Angelo di Livio (Juventus, 1996, Rome) and Nicolas Anelka (Real Madrid, 2000, Paris).

Bale said that none of his teammates had pumped him for information about Cardiff as yet but "I am sure if we get closer they will be asking".

To do that Real Madrid will have first to progress from a group containing Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon and Legia Warsaw.

"Everybody wants to beat Real Madrid, but we know we have a chance to make history again and we will be trying our best to do that," said Bale. "It is difficult winning the Champions League and not many people get to say they've won it."

Bale also said he'd have one eye on how his old club fare in this season's competition. "It is great to see Tottenham back and doing well," declared the Welshman. "I wish them well in the Champions League ... until they play us."