\'Gareth Bale never wanted to leave Real Madrid\', says agent
The 30-year-old forward was also involved in a tense stand-off with coach Zinedine Zidane in the off-season.
Gareth Bale “is not ecstatic” with life at Real Madrid but has never asked to leave the club, the Welsh forward’s agent has said.
Bale’s commitment to the 13-times European champions came under the microscope last month after he helped his nation qualify for Euro 2020 and then joined his team mates dancing alongside a banner saying ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order’.
He was booed by real fans during last month’s match against Real Sociedad.
The 30-year-old forward was also involved in a tense stand-off with coach Zinedine Zidane in the off-season, with the Frenchman stating he was keen for Bale to leave, although a reported move to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning was scrapped.
“He’s not ecstatic,” Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett told the BBC’s Euro Leagues Podcast. “He has got a contract and as long as he is a Real Madrid player he will play at 100% - and do very well.
“He has never asked to leave. If the right opportunity came along for him and it’s something he wants to do we have to have a chat with the president of Real Madrid and see where we are.”
Bale was absent from training on Thursday and Spanish newspaper Marca said he would miss Saturday’s La Liga match with Espanyol as well as Wednesday’s Champions League game at Club Bruges due to a hamstring strain.