According to The Telegraph, talks have begun between the club and the investment group partnering with Bale, 35. The consortium is said to be keen to bid for full control at Home Park, with the Wales and Real Madrid icon set to be the face of any takeover.

Argyle chairman Simon Hallett, who became a majority shareholder in 2018, has been publicly courting fresh investment in the club for the past 12 months. Last month, however, he was dealt a blow after an agreed-upon deal to sell a stake in the club to new investors fell through.

The club were hit by further turbulence when head coach Miron Muslic, who replaced Wayne Rooney midway through the season, left to join German side Schalke. Hallett last week confirmed the appointment of former Watford boss Tom Cleverley as his replacement.

Hallett, 69, has previously vowed that he and the club’s existing shareholders, Argyle Green and the Holliday family, would match the level of funding they were proposing with new investors for this season. During his tenure, the club redeveloped the Mayflower Grandstand and is currently funding the development of new academy facilities.

Bale’s final club stint came in America, playing 12 games for Los Angeles FC and scoring in their dramatic MLS Cup final win over Philadelphia. His exact role in the takeover has not yet been outlined, but the development follows a growing trend of high-profile figures investing in EFL clubs.

In April, Bale’s former Real team-mate Luke Modric finalised a purchase of a minority stake in Swansea City. That followed NFL icon Tom Brady becoming a co-owner at Birmingham City, while Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have overseen three successive promotions since taking over at Wrexham.