Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has ruled out forward Gareth Bale leaving the Bernabeu in the January transfer window. Wales international Bale was close to leaving for the Chinese Super League over the summer before a deal fell through and now there have been links with a return to the Premier League.
Los Blancos are thought to be considering making an ambitious move for England and Manchester City star Raheem Sterling, with reports suggesting Bale could be used as part of the deal.
However, Zidane is adamant he has no plans to allow Bale to leave in January and feels the former Tottenham star will be with the La Liga giants until at least the end of the current campaign. “Everybody is saying I don’t want (Gareth) Bale here and I want him to leave in January. That’s nonsense,” the French tactician said. “People can talk about me, about what I do, but nobody can put fake words on my mouth. “This is the situation: he’s here, and I’m happy because the player is very good. So yes, I want Gareth to stay here with us until the end of the season. That’s very clear.”
Real are next in action on Wednesday night when they welcome Turkish giants Galatasaray to the Spanish capital in the Champions League.
Zidane’s charges currently find themselves in second place in Group A and need a win to pull away from the likes of Gala and Club Brugge, while trying to narrow the gap on frontrunners Paris Saint-Germain.
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