Gareth Bale’s agent insists there is ‘more chance of me winning at Ascot than him going out on loan’ with English clubs yet to express interest in signing him.
Manager Zinedine Zidane previously suggested Bale, who turns 30 next month, will struggle to get in his team as he hinted he is the past and not the present. Yet members of Bale’s camp reiterated their client’s commitment to Real on Monday, pointing out to Sportsmail that his contract runs until 2022 and he is not seeking to leave.
“There’s more chance of me winning at Ascot than him going out on loan,” his agent told Sky. “It’s not going to happen. He’s got a lovely life and home in Spain. I think it would take something exceptional for him to leave.”
Real will continue to explore loan options but Bale’s wages, in the region of Sh76.8m-per-week, pose a problem. As it stands, the La Liga club have had no concrete offers.
It means the 29-year-old is set to stay in Madrid, despite the prospect of not playing regularly under Zidane. There were clear signs of that at the end of last season. Bale did not even make the bench for their final league game against Real Betis.
He was also left out of the squad against Real Sociedad the week before. Asked afterwards if that was a message, Zidane said: “It’s clear what I have done this weekend.”
Manchester United have long been linked with Bale but they are focusing on younger talent. The Wales international is also understood to not be keen on returning to the Premier League. Bale has found himself regularly criticised by Real fans in his seven years at the club.
That is despite him having won four Champions League trophies and one La Liga title since signing for Sh10.8bn in 2013. He has also scored 78 goals in 155 league games. Eden Hazard will have to battle against the high expectations of the supporters at the Bernabeu after signing for £150m from Chelsea.
