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Gareth Bale: Real Madrid forward 'very close' to exit - Zinedine Zidane

Last updated on .From the section European Footballcomments1377

Gareth Bale
Bale has won the Champions League four times and La Liga once with Real Madrid

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is "very close to leaving" the Spanish club, says boss Zinedine Zidane.

The Wales international, 30, was left out of Real's 3-1 pre-season defeat by Bayern Munich in Houston, USA.

Speaking after the game, Zidane said: "We hope he leaves soon. It would be best for everyone. We are working on his transfer to a new team.

"I have nothing personal against him, but there comes a time where things are done because they must be done."

Bale, who has three years left on his Real contract, has won the Champions League four times since his £85m move to Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 - a world record deal at the time.

In response to Zidane's comments, Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett told AFP: "Zidane is a disgrace - he shows no respect for a player that has done so much for Real Madrid."

Bale has been linked with Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham, German champions Bayern and also a move to the Chinese Super League.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was asked about his side's reported interest in Bale after their 3-2 pre-season friendly win over Juventus in Singapore on Sunday.

"I saw in the media but I don't know which club is trying to sign him," replied the Argentine. "I don't know if we are or if it's another club.

"It's not my job, it's the job of my chairman, who is trying to build the best squad possible."

Injury problems have limited Bale to 79 La Liga starts in the past four seasons. He played 42 matches in all competitions for Los Blancos last term, 13 of those as a substitute.

The Welshman was booed by home supporters at times last season, though his agent said in March the player was "very happy" and wanted to "play all his career" at the Bernabeu club.

"I have to make decisions. We have to change," Zidane added. "The exit is the coach's decision, and also of the player, who knows the situation.

"The situation will change, I do not know if in 24 or 48 hours, but it will - and it's a good thing for everyone."

Bale ended last season on the bench as Real endured their poorest domestic campaign in 20 years, with 12 defeats, 68 points and a third-place finish 19 points behind champions Barcelona. They were also knocked out of the Champions League by Ajax in the last 16.

Zidane returned to the Bernabeu in March to become the club's third coach of the season.

At the time, Barnett told BBC Sport that the Frenchman's appointment was "bad news" because he did not want to work with Bale and the two men disagreed on playing style. On Sunday, Barnett told BBC Wales: "We're working on a few things. Gareth is a Real Madrid player but if he does leave it will be his own decision, not Mr Zidane's."

As well as four Champions Leagues, Bale has won one La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and three Uefa Super Cups and Club World Cups during his time at Real.

He has scored more than 100 goals for the Spanish side but has reportedly been nicknamed "The Golfer"external-link by his team-mates, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also saidexternal-link Bale did not attend a team meal because he did not want to miss his bed time.

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1377 comments

  • Comment posted by Zola, at 07:34 21 Jul 2019

    Madrid fans are just horrible. What other set of fans boos their own players? Odd bunch.

  • Comment posted by Jason, at 07:45 21 Jul 2019

    Bale has earned extraordinary wages but has also been a loyal servant of RM.
    Zidane's comments have once again shown his lack of class. Has never seemed a
    particularly pleasant individual, on or off the field.

  • Comment posted by U17749451, at 07:39 21 Jul 2019

    Arsenal preparing a 10 pound bid.

  • Comment posted by cookiekopite, at 07:46 21 Jul 2019

    Loved you as a player Zidane but as a Manager you absolutely stink the place out,your and your clubs treatment of Bale is nothing short of disgraceful ok he's not playing well but the same can be said for many others but your not forcing them out does it have something to do with his wages which is the fault of the club as they offered him the contract! stand your ground Gareth.

  • Comment posted by letmedemonstrate, at 07:54 21 Jul 2019

    The lack of respect for Bale in Spain is a disgrace

  • Comment posted by D1679655647015, at 07:41 21 Jul 2019

    Hope he fills up his bank balance at RM's expense by seeing out the 3 years left on his contract at the reported £600k a week.

    Too many injuries now for him to be totally financially viable for another club.

  • Comment posted by blofeld1965, at 07:35 21 Jul 2019

    Clubs only have themselves to blame when they give players long contracts on super-high wages. They never seem to live up to expectations. Just ask any Arsenal fan.

  • Comment posted by MightyReds, at 07:54 21 Jul 2019

    Great player treated badly by Madrid for years, shameful.

  • Comment posted by Humpty Dumpty, at 07:47 21 Jul 2019

    Major clash of hair styles I would say.

  • Comment posted by redgringo, at 07:37 21 Jul 2019

    Have to be a loan surely? His fitness issues and wages make him too big a risk for virtually every club. Real must have to pay some of it I'd think.

  • Comment posted by LuThe, at 08:34 21 Jul 2019

    Anyone heard of Bale disrespect the club? Talk about leaving?

    Exactly the opposite. Only ever heard of him saying he loves RM, wants to play.

    Heard of him miss a training session? Be late even?

    No, never.

    Drink? Drugs? Night clubs?

    Err...no. Strict regime of early nights. Only 'vice' is golf, nice gentle fitness activity.

    100+ club goals too. And ZZ wants rid. Weird isn't it.

  • Comment posted by Eurows, at 07:50 21 Jul 2019

    Why go. Your 30 with three years left. Sit tight and make them realise what a stupid contract they offered you.

  • Comment posted by will2k, at 07:49 21 Jul 2019

    'we hope he leaves' - disrespectful but also bad coaching by ZZ because if he ends up staying he'll have a $600k a week player who won't play for him.

  • Comment posted by Bivoac, at 07:42 21 Jul 2019

    "We hope he leaves soon". Wow can't believe they put it like that.

  • Comment posted by LuThe, at 08:22 21 Jul 2019

    89. ali benarbia

    To all the people on here citing bullying etc you do realise after all his years in Spain he still can’t speak Spanish.
    ---

    This is nonsense. Google it. YouTube it. Bale has done interviews in Spanish. Don't sound great, but Spanish.

    Here 10 years and Aguero still uses a translator for interviews. Still a great footballer, still first choice in a record breaking team.

  • Comment posted by JonnyQ, at 08:10 21 Jul 2019

    Courtois's comments say more about him than Bale. Nothing worse than throwing your teammate under a bus.

  • Comment posted by Golfpunk, at 08:31 21 Jul 2019

    Courtois who's been there 5 mins,talking about Bale missing a meal to go to bed,well maybe if the whole team took a leaf out of Bales book they wouldn't have been so shocking last season.

  • Comment posted by Drew, at 07:50 21 Jul 2019

    In any other career, this behaviour would see a manager sacked. Shockingly bad conduct from Zidane...

  • Comment posted by Wilson65, at 07:41 21 Jul 2019

    Poor on Zidane to make this public... Motherwell will be fuming with him, they had wanted to keep this signing quiet until they unveiled Bale at press conference

  • Comment posted by pistol, at 08:24 21 Jul 2019

    Not liked by his team mates because he doesn’t want to live like them which probably means picking up women in night clubs and partying all the time, Madrid players should be ashamed that they have turned the fans against him by speaking to the press behind his back, Madrid are a toxic club

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