Reports in Spain claim that Gareth Bale was the only member of the Real Madrid squad who refused to take a pay cut during the Covid-19-enforced lockdown.
Football was put on hold for around three months between March and June due to the global pandemic, resulting in players being asked to accept financial sacrifices.
According to a report in Cadena SER, the Real Madrid players initially refused to accept a pay cut in March.
But after Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and several other teams across Europe accepted lowered salaries, the squad agreed to negotiate.
Every player in the Real squad apart from Bale then agreed a 10 per cent reduction, with the Welshman unwilling to accept any changes to his lucrative wage packet.
The 31-year-old’s decision saw his relationship with the club deteriorate further, before his summer departure on loan to Tottenham Hotspur.
Bale, who won four Champions League titles and two La Liga crowns during a seven-year spell in the Spanish capital, sealed a one-year loan move back to Spurs in September.
He departed the north London club for a then-world record £83 million fee in 2013, and could make his second debut against West Ham on Sunday.
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