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Gareth Bale: Real Madrid making it tough for me to leave

Gareth Bale has accused Real Madrid of making it "very difficult" for him to leave as the Wales forward looks to end his Bernabeu exile.

Bale is out of favour with Real coach Zinedine Zidane and played just 48 minutes of Los Blancos' 12 games when the Spanish season resumed after the Covid-19 lockdown.

The 31-year-old has two years left on his Real contract, but there appears little chance he will force his way into the manager's plans.

He almost joined Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning last year before Real pulled the plug on the deal, a decision that still irks him.

"I think the club needs to answer that question because I tried to leave last year. They blocked everything at the last second," Bale told Sky Sports.

"It was a project I was excited for last year but it didn't materialise. There's been other instances where we've tried to go, but the club won't allow it or done something.

"So it's on the club, I can't really do anything. I have a contract. All I can do is carry on what I'm doing and hopefully something comes up... They make things very difficult, to be honest."

Bale became the world's most expensive player when he joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for £85 million (then S$170m) in 2013.

If the Spanish giants are willing to sell him, Bale will not rule out a return to the English Premier League after seven years away.

"If those options arise then I'd look at it for sure," said Bale.

"We have plenty of time in this transfer window and I guess a couple of others as well. Time will tell." - AFP

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