Bale refusing to be forced out of Real Madrid despite latest Zidane fall out

Gareth Bale, Real Madrid winger. [Internet]

Gareth Bale will continue to dig in his heels at Real Madrid despite his latest run-in with manager Zinedine Zidane.

The Bernabeu boss claimed that Welshman Bale hadn’t travelled with his team-mates for Friday’s Champions League clash with Manchester City because he ‘didn’t want to play’.

But Bale, who didn’t play a minute of Los Blancos’ last seven games of the season following the restart, had simply made it clear to his manager that he didn’t see the point in going to Manchester knowing, as he did, that he wasn’t going to get on.

The pair’s latest brush has led to speculation that a move away from the Spanish capital is pending.

But he will take the same stance as last summer and refuse to be forced out on anything but his own terms.

A year ago, it took an offer of around £1million a week from Chinese side Jiangsu Suning to tempt Bale from his £600,000-a-week contract in Madrid.

But at the 11th hour, the Spaniards changed their mind about letting him leave on a free transfer and the move fell through.

President Florentino Perez has since admitted that blocking Bale’s exit a year ago was a mistake and the club would like to sell him this summer.

However, they will not strengthen a European rival without receiving a transfer fee and finding a buyer willing to pay them what they want and get anywhere near Bale’s personal terms will be nigh on impossible.

Bale still has another 11 months left on his contract in Madrid, where he and his family are completely settled, and sources close to the four-time Champions League winner insist he has no desire to move.