There was a minor stir caused last week following comments from Gareth Bale that he would return to Real Madrid this summer.
The Welshman is currently on a season-long loan deal at Tottenham Hotspur, although he has endured a difficult campaign – starting only six Premier League games despite steering clear of injuries.
Last week, Bale told reporters, as cited by Wales Online: “The original plan was only to do a season at Spurs, and then after the Euros, I would still have a year left at Real Madrid.
“My plan is to go back and that’s as far as I’ve planned to be honest.”
Read more: Gareth Bale comments on Real Madrid “completely out of context”, agent insists
It was claimed last summer that Bale’s relationship with Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was broken and the situation for him in Madrid had been untenable – and he appears to have little future at the club.
The forward’s future remains unclear as it appears unlikely that Los Blancos will incorporate him back into the first-team squad while it may prove tricky to find a club who are willing to accommodate his wages in their entirety.
With his contract in the Spanish capital expiring in 2022, a decision is likely to be made soon but the player has clarified this will not be made until summer.
Bale told a press conference on Monday, in quotes carried by football.london: “I think for me, first and foremost I still have this season, and I still have plenty of games to go for the Euros.
“Obviously, going into next season, legally my contract says I have to go back to Real Madrid, which is what I stated, which I don’t think is being disrespectful to anybody. That’s legally what I have to do.
“Real Madrid are I guess my parent club and as far as I agreed I was on Tottenham on loan until the end of the season and I go back. That’s the plan so far.
“The reason I left was because I wanted to play games and get match fit and enjoy my football. Obviously come the summer I will go back to Real Madrid and we’ll go from there.
“I think the plan is to go back and then whether then I sit down with my agent is something we’ll do in the summer.”
