credit;PA
Gareth Bale is close to leaving Real Madrid for Chinese club Jiangsu Suning, according to reports.
Spanish media reported the Wales international will sign a three-year deal worth an estimated £1million a week.
His exit would mean manager Zinedine Zidane has won his battle of wills with the forward, whose six-year stay in the Spanish capital looked set to come to an end once the Frenchman returned for his second spell in charge.
Zidane made it clear he was not Bale’s biggest fan and the player’s injury record – he has made just 79 LaLiga starts in the last four seasons – did not help his cause.
Last week the Real boss had said the player was “very close to leaving” and his exit would be “best for everyone” after omitting him from their pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich.
In response Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett branded Zidane a “disgrace”.
Bale played 42 matches for Real last season and was booed by his side’s home supporters at times during the campaign.
