The agent of Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has rubbished reports claiming the Welshman could have returned to Tottenham Hotspur in January, insisting he remains happy in the Spanish capital.
Spurs were rumoured to have reached out to Bale after chairman Daniel Levy visited Madrid, but a move failed to materialise and the Welshman remained at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Speaking to talkSPORT, his agent Jonathan Barnett revealed that there was never any offer to take Bale back to Spurs, adding that most clubs wouldn't be able to afford such a deal anyway.
"No [there was never an opportunity to return]," he insisted.
“And let’s be realistic: for most clubs he is out of their league, financially.
"I’ve been told he’s still a big part of Real Madrid. The only people who know what’s going on are Zinedine Zidane, Gareth and probably the president of Madrid and they’re all very happy with the situation."
Zidane has since insisted that Bale has a future at the club, but rumours of a tense relationship between the two will almost certainly continue. Bale has struggled to hold down a spot in the Frenchman's starting lineup, prompting never-ending reports of an imminent exit.
"I think people don’t know anything about what’s going on," Barnett added. "People write articles, make comments and they have no idea what they’re talking about, and they themselves probably wouldn’t do it [leave Real Madrid].
"It’s not up to me, but Gareth believes there’s a still a future at Real Madrid. His family are very happy and settled and he has a lovely lifestyle, so he can pick and choose where he wants to play."
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Source : 90min