"Everybody is saying I don't want Bale here and I want him to leave in January. That's nonsense”
Tuesday 5 November 2019 19:18, UK
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane wants Gareth Bale to remain at the Bernabeu for the rest of the season – despite reports of a January move away.
The Spanish giants have been linked with an audacious bid for Manchester City's Raheem Sterling with Bale plus £70m the proposed package reportedly to be offered to the Premier League champions.
Bale has also been linked with a move to China with Shanghai Shenhua reportedly remaining interested in the Welshman having failed in an attempt to lure him to the club in the summer.
However, Zidane has rubbished reports of an imminent exit as 'nonsense' ahead of the club's Champions League game against Galatasaray on Wednesday.
"Everybody is saying I don't want (Gareth) Bale here and I want him to leave in January. That's nonsense," Zinedine Zidane said.
"People can talk about me, about what I do, but nobody can put fake words on my mouth.
"Of course, we cannot have the same bond with everybody but I've never had any problem with Gareth, even after what happened during last summer when supposedly he was leaving.
"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."
The Real Madrid boss was also relaxed over Bale's inclusion in the Wales squad for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Hungary later this month.
It comes despite Bale not playing for Real Madrid since scoring in Wales' 1-1 draw with Croatia on October 13.
"If his national team, his country, called him up it is their right," Zidane said. "It is a FIFA international break and there is nothing we can do about it.
"The player only wants to recover. There are not doubts about it.
"He's the one suffering the most. We will see how the week goes and what's going to happen with his national team, to know if he's ready or not."
