Bale to stay at Real Madrid next season
Gareth Bale is "going nowhere" amid ongoing speculation over his Real Madrid future, according to agent Jonathan Barnett.
Bale found himself out of favour as Madrid dethroned bitter rival Barcelona as LaLiga champion this season, making just two appearances since the 2019-2020 campaign resumed last month following the coronavirus-enforced break.
The star forward, whose behaviour has been criticised, featured in 16 league matches this term after he was left out of Zinedine Zidane's squad to face Leganes on the final day of the season on Sunday.
Despite struggling for game time, Barnett insisted his client Bale has no plans to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.
"Gareth is fine. He has two years left on his contract," he told BBC Sport. "He likes living in Madrid and he is going nowhere.
"He is still as good as anyone else in the team. It's up to Zinedine Zidane.
"Of course there's been interest but there's hardly a club in the world which can afford him.
"It's a great loss that he's not in the Real Madrid team at the moment but he will not leave."
Bale has enjoyed great success since joining Madrid from Tottenham in 2013, scoring over 100 goals and winning four Champions League titles to go with a pair of LaLiga trophies.
Amid talk of a fractious relationship with head coach Zidane, Barnett said: "Gareth is not looking to outlast Zinedine Zidane. Mr Zidane has been very successful.
"There's no hatred. Mr Zidane just does not want to play him. Gareth trains every day and he trains well."
Bale was close to leaving Madrid last year but a proposed transfer to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning collapsed.
The 31-year-old Wales international is contracted to Madrid until 2022 but Bale will not consider a loan move ahead of the postponed European Championship in 2021.
"He wants to play for Wales at Euro 2020. He always wants to play well for Wales," Barnett added.
"Gareth is one of the best players in the world. The best players in the world do not go out on loan."
