Gareth Bale has insisted that he has no intention of leaving Real Madrid this summer amid speculation that Manchester United may attempt to sign the Wales international for a fee of more than £100m.
Bale was a second-half substitute in his home city of Cardiff as Real became the first side to retain the status as European champions since the Champions League era began with a comprehensive 4-1 win against Juventus on Saturday.
That victory ensured Bale became the first Welshman to win club football’s most prestigious tournament for the third time at the end of a season during which the 27-year-old has been plagued by injury.
Bale made only 19 league appearances for the club as they won a first La Liga title since 2011. Having attempted to prove his fitness for the final, Bale did not start against Juventus with the manager, Zinédine Zidane, opting instead for Isco. That has fuelled rumours that United could turn to Bale after cooling their approach for Antoine Griezmann after the Frenchman confirmed on Sunday that he would not be leaving Atlético Madrid this summer after the Spanish club’s transfer ban was upheld by Fifa.
Bale, who agreed a new deal in October lasting until 2022 worth £350,000 a week after tax and with a €1bn buyout clause, was adamant that he wants to remain at the club he joined in September 2013 from Tottenham Hotspur for £85m, which was then a world-record fee.
“I’ve signed a long-term contract at Madrid,” he said. “My family is happy and I am happy so, yeah, we will continue what we are doing. We are winning trophies and I am happy.
“I’ve worked double sessions for three, four weeks to get myself ready for this, to get myself fit, recover from the surgery – which still has a little more healing to do – but I will be able to rest in the summer, do some more rehab and then come next season stronger. It’s been a tough year with a lot of football and the injuries, but the main thing for me is to get my ankle sorted and give it that rest it needs. I came back too early from the surgery. But I still finished the season happy, it’s a great finish with another trophy.”
United tried to sign Bale in 2013 when David Moyes succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford but were beaten to his signature. The Welshman’s representatives have dismissed reports linking him with a return to the Premier League, stressing that he has no desire to leave the most successful club in global football. Given that he has now won seven major trophies in only four years in Spain, it is hard to argue that this Madrid side is up there with some of the most successful in history.
“We’re used to this,” Bale said. “We have won three Champions Leagues in four seasons so we have to be in that category. All we can keep doing is keep working hard and hopefully there will be more to come. I think we can get better.
“We are still quite young as a whole team and we have a great squad. We haven’t just got a great eleven, we have a great squad so if any injuries come along there are other people who can do a job. We are strong and confident and the plan is to win more.
“This adds to the history of this club. This club is the biggest in Champions League history ever and now we have even more. It’s great to be a part of.”
No comments:
Post a Comment