Gareth Bale: In orbit to enter galaxy of Galacticos

Figo was the first one; Zinedine Zidane was the most successful one; Michael Owen was, somewhat harshly, labelled the plastic one; now Gareth Bale is set to become Real Madrid's latest galactico. And as he will find out across the next six seasons of his 10million euros-a-year contract, he is no longer just a footballer. Florentino Perez's business model has never wavered in 10 years, across two spells, as Real Madrid president.

The club must generate more money than any other in world football. The unspoken truth is that staying top of the Forbes rich-list is almost as important as winning the Champions League. And in order to make that happen two things are necessary: a cataclysmic thump on football's top-table every summer with a huge bid for a big-name player; and then the subsequent marketing of the club throughout the world using the image of the newly-acquired superstar.

At the centre of it all this summer stands Bale. He has become used to seeing his face plastered on billboards in his home country, where his performances last season made him a bona fide star, but he is about to enter a different stratosphere in Madrid, A young man who was struggling to establish himself as Tottenham's reserve left-back as recently as four years ago is in for a serious shock. His late arrival in this transfer window might have spared him the dubious pleasures of a Real pre-season tour - David Beckham, arguably the biggest galactico of them all, was mobbed by five nurses each armed with a traditional gift of Chinese knotting on his debut against Beijing Dragons 10 years ago - but there will be no escaping the ceremonial unveiling reserved for Perez's marquee signings.

A stage has already been erected at the Bernabeu; fans will descend in their thousands just to catch a glimpse of their new No11; and he will already be prepped on the likely line of questioning, including the obligatory inquiry about whether it has always been 'his dream' to play for Real Madrid. At which point he will be well advised to reply: 'Yes'. Mourinho put an end to such presentations during his three years at Real Madrid. In many ways 'he' was the galactico but Bale's arrival marks a return to the president picking a pin-up boy player to be the new image of the club. And, as far as the galacticos are concerned, image is everything. Roberto Carlos was only half-joking when, being asked in 2003 for his views on Beckham's imminent arrival, he said:

"Now that Beckham's coming there are finally going to be two good-looking guys in the team. " Beckham's cheekbones were one of the reasons Real chose not to sign Ronaldinho - Bernabeu officials asked him to wait another year, only for the Brazilian to join Barcelona instead - and Bale's aesthetic appeal was a factor behind Perez deciding not to pursue Liverpool's Luis Suarez, a player who better fulfils Real's footballing requirements. That status comes with a price, however, and off the pitch, Bale will have to get used to a level of attention that at times became too much even for Beckham.

The former England captain famously lost his temper with a photographer, shouting in his best Spanish: "In my home, at the school!" at paparazzi waiting for him to pick up his children. Madrid's prensa amarilla - yellow or sensationalist press - will look to fill the pages of their gossip magazines with images of Bale and his partner Emma Rhys-Jones who he has managed to keep out of the limelight. There will be little opportunity to sample the delights of the centre of Madrid.

When Ronaldo arrived in 2009 he wanted to live in a central apartment but was soon persuaded that he should do as all the club's players do and take refuge in the private estates of La Finca and La Moraleja to the north of the capital. On the pitch the attention will be on him, too. Beckham was sent off once and booked 10 times in all competitions in his first six months at Madrid. Bale will have to get used to the change from the physical Premier League to Spanish football's largely non-contact approach. There will also be starstruck referees keen to become the first to show the new turn a card.

And all eyes will be on how he handles the cultural differences. It is not unusual for some players in Spain to kiss each other when coming on as a substitute or after scoring. Beckham took to the new way of doing things almost too well and was kissing so many players one headline ran: "David, where are you going?" Bale's imminent arrival has dominated the local media - the Welshman has appeared on approximately a third of Marca front pages over the last month, - but it is his global impact which really interests Perez. The president of Real's shirt sponsor Fly Emirates, Sheikh Al Maktoum, wants Real to play a friendly in Dubai in January during the Spanish season's winter break. Bale's presence will push up Perez's asking price and increase interest in a region he has long earmarked as a lucrative marketplace.

Even the timing of Bale's possible debut, against Athletic Bilbao next Sunday, has been commercially choreographed: the match will start at noon in Spain, ensuring a healthy TV audience in Dubai. The added interest from sponsors and commercial partners will help repay some of the eye-watering fee Spurs have demanded for Bale - shirt sales are another, with Real hopeful that their new arrival will emulate Beckham's tally of 8,000 on his first day at the club - but amid the hype and the hysteria, there are some dissenting voices.

One of the foremost is the leading Spanish economist Professor Jose Maria Gay de Liebana, a respected voice in analysing La Liga's debt. "You would have to sell five million Bale shirts to justify paying euros 100million for him," he said, while pointing out that a supporter buying a Bale shirt is probably not buying the jersey of another Real Madrid player, meaning it is not necessarily added income. But Perez has little concern for bottom lines.

When, at some point in the coming days, Bale finally steps onto that ceremonial platform, and the flashbulbs pop and the crowd roar their approval, Real's status as the natural home for razz-ma-tazz will be secure once again. The Sunday Telegraph How Real's other superstars fared Luis Figo July 2000, pounds 37m from Barcelona The deal that sparked the galacticos era and made a megastar of Figo. Demonised by his fans at Barcelona for moving to the arch-enemy but two La Ligas and a Champions League proved vindication.

HIT Zinedine Zidane July 2001, 50m pounds from Juventus The Frenchman's five years in Madrid made him a local hero, with the undoubted high point the sublime left-foot volley that won Real the 2002 Champions League.

Now Real's highly visible - and, to Madrid's rivals, irksome - sporting director. HIT Ronaldo Sep 2002,  28.5m pounds from Inter The striker's arrival prompted record sales of jersies in just one day and there was no lack of goals - 118 in 194 games. But he had just one title to show for his efforts, in 2002-03. HIT David Beckham July 2003, 25m pounds from Man Utd Florentino Perez's ultimate vanity project arrived in a blaze of publicity but he proved a surprisingly diligent superstar. Beckham won only one title, though, in his last season.

HIT Kaka June 2009, 57m pounds from AC Milan The Brazilian was the world's most prized playmaker at the time of his move but his time in Madrid has disappointed, marred by injuries and a loss of confidence. MISS Cristiano Ronaldo June 2009, 80m pounds from Man Utd A deal that came to symbolise the madness of the modern transfer market, but Ronaldo has lived up to the hype. He has 146 goals in 136 games and his duel with Lionel Messi at Barcelona has made La Liga essential viewing. HIT Luka Modric Aug 2012, 33m pounds from Tottenham Despite the odd moment of class - notably at United in last season's Champions League - Modric has only flickered, scoring three in 34 games.