Bale's agent blames Madrid for failed China deal

Published on: 29 July 2019

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Gareth Bale's proposed transfer to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning broke down because Real Madrid "changed their minds," his agent Jonathan Barnett has told ESPN FC.

On Sunday, Bernabeu sources told ESPN FC the proposed transfer was called off after the Wales international's family opted against the move.

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However Barnett has blamed Madrid's hierarchy for the deal falling through -- and said that Madrid had given Bale's camp the green light to negotiate a move, only to go back on that agreement when it was close to being finalised.

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Last week ESPN FC learned that Madrid were willing to let Bale move to China on a free transfer -- a deal which would have saved the club around €100 million in salary and taxes over the remaining three years of the 30 year old's contract.

Marca reported on Friday that Bale was to be paid €22m-a-season [after taxes] on a three year contract with Jiangsu, though Barnett has told ESPN FC that story was "fake news."

Reports have suggested that, when Madrid president Florentino Perez learned that the Chinese Super League club were willing to pay so much money to Bale, he decided that his club could not let such a valuable player leave for nothing.

Jiangsu had already signed Brazilian defender Miranda before adding Croatian forward Ivan Santini on Monday, which means there is no room left for any foreign additions.

Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has said repeatedly in recent weeks that he hopes Bale leaves Madrid this summer, as removing his wages from the books likely to boost the chances of Los Blancos signing Paul Pogba from Manchester United.

Asked for an update on Bale's situation after Friday's 7-3 International Champions Cup loss to Atletico Madrid, Zidane replied: "At the moment it is the same, Bale is here with us, he played, and we will see what happens."

On Monday morning, the club announced that Bale trained alone away from his teammates at Madrid's Valdebebas facility, raising doubts over whether he would travel with the squad to Munich for Tuesday's Audi Cup game against his former club Tottenham.

Source: espn.co.uk

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