Gareth Bale's agent labels talk of Manchester United move as 'ridiculous'

Posted Saturday, July 29, 2017 by ESPN

Gareth Bale's agent labels talk of Manchester United move as 'ridiculous'
Gareth Bale has been linked with a return to the Premier League.

Gareth Bale's agent has dismissed the "ridiculous'' speculation suggesting his client could leave Real Madrid this summer.

Bale, 28, is preparing for his fifth season at the Santiago Bernabeu, having won the Champions League three times during that spell, but reports have once again linked him with a move away.

Multiple reports in Friday's newspapers claim Manchester United are set to make a move for the Wales international, with the Daily Mail claiming that he could be sold as part of Madrid's plans to fund a £160 million world-record bid for Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe.

However, Bale's representative Jonathan Barnett told Press Association Sport: "The speculation is ridiculous. Stupid."

Bale signed a new six-year contract with Madrid last October but speculation was sparked by coach Zinedine Zidane's comments after this week's preseason defeat to Manchester City in Los Angeles.

Madrid boss Zidane said he could not guarantee Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo would all be at the club at the start of the season.

"I hope the BBC [Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo] stay for this season. I hope everyone remains," he said after Wednesday's friendly. "I want everyone who is here now to stay... but anything can happen right up until Aug. 31."

That, coupled with United boss Jose Mourinho stating he was still looking for a player who can play on the wing, led to suggestions Bale could be the one to be offloaded.