Former Liverpool and Manchester United striker Michael Owen has warned Gareth Bale over his hopes of moving to Real Madrid. The Tottenham star is reported to be pushing to sign for Real this summer.
"[The changes are] huge," said Owen, recalling his time with Real. "I underestimated that when I went to Real Madrid, certainly from a family point of view. From a football point of view, I think Bale would do particularly well. But I think for any player going from these shores to Spain, it is a lot different to how you first imagine it."
When asked on BBC 5 Live's Sportsweek how many changes he would have made to his time at Real, Owen added: "How long have you got?
"Off the pitch, it's very difficult. The Spanish culture is a very easy way of life; there's a slow pace to it.
"When you get over there, you want to move into a house and get settled, get your wife happy, your kids happy and your family and everyone else happy, and you're trying to change as well, but unfortunately you're stuck in a hotel for five months.
"The legal system and all these things to buy a house are so slow. We wanted to do it as quick as we could, but I was in a hotel for five months with a young child."
