Bale looks to China again Real Madrid Wants a January move

The Gareth Bale soap opera has taken another twist.

Just when it seemed like the Real Madrid forward was making up with Zinedine Zidane over the summer, normality has resumed.

Bale and Zidane fell out after the Welshman was left out of the squad for the visit of Club Brugge in the Champions League without explanation.

Zidane was warned by the Real Madrid medical staff that Bale would be extremely susceptible to injury if he wasn't rested against Brugge.

The Real Madrid boss admitted afterwards that both Bale and James Rodriguez weren't involved because of fitness problems.

"Yes, they were injured," Zidane said. "Everyone here is indispensable, all 25 [players], but they were the two injured ones and we didn't want to risk them."

However, Bale thought he was being punished by Zidane and didn't want to put up with it anymore.

He ordered his agent Jonathan Barnett to seek out a move away from the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the January transfer window.

The Welshman wants to leave Los Blancos because he doesn't feel he gets the recognition or protection that he feels he deserves.

Same as in June

Despite his unquestionable ability, Bale found it difficult to find another European club during the summer and the same thing is happening now.

No European club wants to pay him the 17 million euros after tax that he is currently earning at Real Madrid due to his injury record.

Bale has played just 53 percent of Real Madrid's matches in the last six seasons due to the 26 different injuries he has suffered.

So, with Europe out of the question, Bale and his representatives have turned their attention to China once more.

Shanghai Shenhua are among the Chinese clubs in talks with Bale's agent. They want to make him their superstar signing for the new season starting in March.

Shenhua came close to signing Bale in July when they offered him a deal worth 25 million euros after tax per year.

Real Madrid asked for between 30 and 40 million euros in the way of a transfer fee for Bale, but Shenhua didn't want to pay one due to Chinese football regulations.

For every transfer fee that a Chinese club pays, they have to match that figure with a donation to support the development of Chinese football.

Shenhua pulled the plug on the deal and bought Stephan El Shaarawy from Roma instead, but there is still a possibility that a deal to bring Bale to China can be done in January.

No transfer fee

Two weeks before Shenhua moved for Bale, the forward was on the verge of signing of Jiangsu Suning.

That was until Real Madrid asked for a transfer fee, forcing Suning to pull out of the deal.

This time, Real Madrid would be willing to let Bale go for free if it means they'd be saving 34 million euros a year on his wages.