Gareth Bale’s potential move to Newcastle United has been ruled out once and for all by his agent Jonathan Barnett on BBC Sport.
Bale always looked an unlikely target for Newcastle, but reports in AS Sport in Spain had suggested that their potential new owners wanted to make the Welshman their marquee signing after arriving.
Newcastle’s Saudi backers have ambitious plans, and Sport claimed in May that the Magpies would be willing to bid £53 million for the winger.
Even though those reports have to be greeted with scepticism, a few around St. James’ Park couldn’t help being excited with the links.
However, Barnett has now ruled Bale out of leaving Madrid this summer, even though he continues to struggle for game time.
“Gareth is fine. He has two years left on his contract,” Barnett said.
“He likes living in Madrid and he is going nowhere.
“He is still as good as anyone else in the team. It’s up to [Real Madrid manager] Zinedine Zidane.
“Of course there’s been interest but there’s hardly a club in the world which can afford him.”
Bale’s stance may frustrate Madrid, as he is on a huge wage, but appears to have very little chance of breaking back in Zinedine Zidane’s plans.
If Newcastle’s new owners get the approval they have been waiting for, it now remains to be seen if they have any other marquee signings in mind to announce their arrival.
Newcastle have been waiting for months to hear if their potential new owners will be given the green light to takeover but the Premier League is still yet to make a decision, and frustrations are rising on Tyneside.
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