Furious Real Madrid on lookout for Gareth Bale buyer after agent comments – report
Real Madrid are actively looking to find a buyer for Gareth Bale after being left furious by the comments of his agent, according to reports.
The Wales international was left out of Zinedine Zidane’s squad for the 3-2 win over Villarreal on Sunday, prompting fresh doubts over his future at the Bernabeu.
His agent Jonathan Barnett responded by telling Sky Sports: "He wants to stay. I'm not sure that Mr Zidane wants him to stay, but at the moment Gareth wants to stay.
"He's got a contract, he will quite happily see it out until 2022. He has been and is, in my opinion, one of the top three or four players in the world.
"This game is a game of opinions and Mr Zidane doesn't think that. That is his opinion, he is entitled to it, I won't criticise him."
When asked if Bale could return to the Premier League, Barnett said: "It certainly is possible, if somebody puts their hand in their pocket and pays us what we think he deserves. It's going to be a lot of money!"
According to The Sun, those comments have enraged the Madrid hierarchy and they are now prepared to send Bale to the Under-23 squad unless he finds a new club.
Teams across Europe and in China have been contacted as the La Liga giants look to get rid of the forward, either permanently or on loan.
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The report says that Real could be willing to pay part of Bale’s £500,000-per-week wages to get him off the books on a permanent basis.
“There are people who give nothing to the team’s soul and ethos,” said a club source.
“They will not remain here under Zidane. This summer will be one of the busiest in the club’s recent history.”
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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.