• March 19, 2024

Real Madrid manager does U-Turn on Bale and James

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Previously Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane had said that he was very hopeful that Gareth Bale would be leaving the club soon.

 Now he has spectacularly backtracked over those remarks and changed his position on Bale remaining with the club.

 The Los Blancos boss was so adamant that Bale had no future at the Santiago Bernabeu while he was in charge, Bales agent called Zidane a “disgrace”.

What has changed, we do not know, but it would appear as though Bale and fellow outcast James Rodriguez now look set to remain at Real Madrid past the transfer day deadline.

When speaking after Real Madrid’s pre-season friendly with Roma on Sunday the Frenchman said according to the Daily Mirror: “James and Bale are players of the squad.

“They are both registered, but anything can happen and I, as a coach of Real Madrid, must count on them.

“I count on them 100 percent. James has not been summoned [to the squad recently], but this can change. Even before the end of the transfer window, everything can happen.”

Welsh international Bale came onto the pitch for 29 minutes during the friendly with Roma which ended in a 2-2 draw with Roma going on to win after penalties.

Following those remarks, it now looks like the 30-year-old winger may feature in Zidane’s plans after all despite his previous comments on the matter.

When speaking about Bale during a press conference at the end of last month Zidane said: “We hope he [Bale] leaves soon. It would be best for everyone. We are working on his transfer to a new team.

“I have nothing personal against him, but there comes a time where things are done because they must be done.”

At the time Bale was being linked with a move to the Chinese Super League, but when it was found out that Real Madrid would receive no financial compensation, club president Florentino Perez called it off.

Bales agent Jonathan Barnett also crushed any thoughts Real Madrid might have had of sending the former Tottenham star out on loan saying:

“There will be no makeshift deals to get him out of the club,” Barnett said.

“Gareth is one of the best players on the planet. I can guarantee you he will not be going on loan to any club.”

Real Madrid is now training ahead of next Saturday’s La Liga opener against Celta Vigo and with just three weeks left in the Spanish transfer window it is looking like Bale and James are going nowhere.

As a manager, you want what is best for your team, yet in these days of millionaire players, they more often than not hold their clubs hostage to their demands.

I am surprised that the club cannot find a taker for James which makes me think there is some underlying reason as to why other clubs don’t want him.

As for Bale though, it is easy to see why. His wages are £650,000 per week and Real Madrid does not want to see him leave without a transfer fee.

This means that Perez has probably laid down the law to Zidane and told him you need to include Bale in the team.

The Frenchman may not like it, but he has no choice but to follow the president’s instructions.