REAL MADRID hope to raise funds by finally selling Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez this summer, according to reports.
Club president Florentino Perez has prioritised raising money from player sales this summer given the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic, with Los Blancos in the process of remodelling the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid are hoping to raise money through the sales of Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez
Reports from Spanish newspaper Marca claim Real will “aggressively push” Bale and James out of the exit door in a bid to raise £164million in the transfer window.
Bale does not seem to have a future in the Spanish capital under current boss Zinedine Zidane.
The Welsh international cut a frustrated figure in Real’s title run-in, featuring just twice after La Liga’s June restart.
However, Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett has stated the 31-year-old will be going nowhere this summer.
Reports this week have claimed the ex-Tottenham forward will be happy to run down his £600,000-a-week contract – which runs until 2022 – on the Bernabeu bench if needs be.
James asked Real boss Zinedine Zidane if he could sit out Madrid’s title run-inCredit: Getty Images – Getty
James meanwhile asked Zidane to be left out of Real’s squad in their last five games of the season, perhaps to avoid injury with a view to a move away from the club.
The Colombian midfielder has a year to run on his current deal and Perez would prefer to sell the 29-year-old this summer, rather than lose him for nothing in 2021.
James spent two years on loan at Bayern Munich before returning to Real last summer after the German giants rejected the chance to sign him permanently.
The ex-Porto and Monaco star has been linked with Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton in recent months.
James and Bale’s future has seemed intertwined for some time now.
The Welshman was all set to join Chinese side Jiangsu Suning on a free transfer last summer only for Real to pull the plug at the last minute.
The deal fell through after Los Blancos were informed through an intermediary of another Chinese side’s willingness to pay a transfer fee for 2014 World Cup Golden Boot-winner James.
However, this information turned out to be fake and both James and Bale remained at the Bernabeu.
Bale was a peripheral figure in Real Madrid’s title celebrationsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Gareth Bale looks uncomfortable during Real Madrid title celebrations after Zinedine Zidane leaves him on the bench for title decider versus Villarreal
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
