Football agent David Lee has told Sports Mole that Gareth Bale still wants to play for Real Madrid despite growing speculation over his future at the club.
Bale recently admitted that Madrid had made it "very difficult" for him to leave the club last summer amid interest from the Chinese Super League and the Premier League, and there has been regular speculation that he could look for an exit again this year.
Manager Zinedine Zidane is not thought to regard the 31-year-old as part of his first-team plans at the Bernabeu, with Bale limited to largely a watching brief as Madrid won the La Liga title last season.
Manchester United have reportedly rekindled their interest in the Wales international, but Lee, who works for the Stellar Group agency which represents Bale through chairman Jonathan Barnett, believes that the forward would be happy to stay at the Bernabeu if he is given more game time.
"Jonathan looks after Gareth, but I think he's got two years left on a contract and I think he likes it there," Lee told Sports Mole.
"I think he'd love to play for Real Madrid on a regular basis. He's tried to stay and fight for his place and tried his best to get back in the team.
"But they've been on him from the start - a rumour starts and then the whole of the Spanish media jump on it and then the fans turn on you. It's a tough place to go and play as soon as there is some negativity around you, it's tough. But Gareth wants to play for Real Madrid."
Real Madrid's former president Ramon Calderon recently claimed that the club rejected an £89m bid from an unnamed Premier League club last summer.
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Barney Corkhill
