Gareth Bale signs £350k-a-week deal to stay at Real Madrid

Gareth Bale has signed an "eye-watering" new deal with Real Madrid worth almost £350,000 a week and which reportedly includes a £900m buy-out clause - valuing him at ten times more than Paul Pogba, the man who stole his crown as the world's most expensive player.

The deal, which runs until 2022, will earn Bale £108m over the next six years, says the Daily Mail.

The paper adds he will still be earning less than team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona star Lionel Messi, but has little reason to complain as he does not have to pay tax on his salary.

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"Real Madrid and Barcelona pay their prized assets a net wage after the Spanish tax man has taken his share," says the Mail.

Consequently, the lead Spanish stars have over their Premier League rivals in the footballers' rich list is even bigger than it appears.

"If the Real and Barca players' salaries are judged like their counterparts from the Premier League - ie before tax is paid on their wages - Bale's new contract would be worth a simply staggering amount," the paper adds.

The Mail estimates Bale's gross salary stands at £32.7m per year - and given his earning power, it is unsurprising the Welsh star has declared himself happy in Madrid.

"Bale has been regularly linked with a move back to England, with Manchester United reportedly leading the chase for his services, but the former Tottenham player only has eyes for Real," says The Guardian.

The deal proves Bale is regarded as the "future face" of Real, says the Daily Mirror. The 27-year-old winger "is seen as the superstar heir to Cristiano Ronaldo with the Portuguese's powers and influence already on the wane", adds the paper.

He has already surpassed Ronaldo in one way, reports The Sun, marvelling at the size of Bale's get-out clause and saying it dwarfs that of his team-mate, which is said to stand at around £657m.

"Bale broke the record transfer fee when he moved to Spain in 2013 and, despite being overtaken by Paul Pogba, now commands the biggest buyout clause of anyone in the game," says the paper.