Every year, Gareth Bale finds himself surrounded by rumors regarding a possible exit from Real Madrid . Having been a player for the club since his transfer from the Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, Bale has come close to accepting a move away from Real Madrid on more than one occasion. This past summer, Bale was targeting a transfer to China that didn’t materialize at the end.
According to an interview with AS , Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, revealed that the player was ready to move on until Real Madrid blocked the offer and refused to sell him.
“Yes, he wanted to create a legacy. He wanted to bring Chinese football up. He had a vision that he could make Chinese football great. He’s won everything that he can win, and he’s done it many times,” said Barnett.
“China is a different thing. It was to create a legacy, his name, to be the first great player to go to China. But it wasn’t to be… And the money was special too. It would have made him the highest-paid player on Earth,” concluded Barnett regarding Bale’s desire to be involved in a shocking transfer.
Barnett also confirmed that Bale wasn’t interested in playing for any other club at the moment, as he was fully committed to Real Madrid. But if the offer had been accepted, Bale was willing to create a unique legacy in China by paving the way for future players to follow suit.
Rumors have been persistent that Zinedine Zidane isn’t very fond of Bale, and their strained relationship has affected Bale’s performances on the field. It may be too strained to repair by now, but they will have to get along for the sake of the club for the remainder of this year. Both sides have denied the stories multiple times, but it’s no secret that Bale’s days appeared to be numbered at Real Madrid.
Some reports had previously suggested that Bale could also be intrigued by a move to the MLS in the summer. But if he were to leave Real Madrid, Bale would have to be fully convinced by the situation, as noted by his agent. During the winter transfer window, Tottenham were said to be tracking Bale’s availability for a potential return to the club. Once again, Barnett released a statement to deny the reports on Bale’s behalf.
More recently, Cristiano Ronaldo’s name also came up in journals linking him to Bayern Munich, as noted by The Inquisitr .