Gareth Bale’s agent has launched a fresh defence of his client amid more criticism from the Spanish press.
Bale is coming towards the end of his contract, which expires at the end of this season, but the criticism is not getting any quieter.
The Welshman missed the first half of this season through injury and after being overlooked by Carlo Ancelotti for a number of weeks, he was declared unavailable for the the ill-fated Clásico clash with Barcelona.
He then returned the following week to score twice as Wales booked their place in a World Cup qualifying playoff final.
And that led to intense criticism from sections of the Spanish press, including one editorial that called Bale a ‘parasite’.
The column was widely condemned, including by Bale himself, who was outraged by the abusive story.
And Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett has now hit out in an interview with Deportes Cuarto.
“Bale deserves a grand farewell from the club. And no, we have not yet decided on the future,” he said.
“He speaks Spanish. What happens is that people who do not know him say that he does not.
“Stupid and ignorant people who have not spoken to him. It’s a shame. He has always been very happy in Madrid, he arrived as a young man, his children were born in the city, he has donated a lot of money to Spanish hospitals for Covid (a reported £400k) and he loves the city and the club, and I think the parasites are the ones who speak ill of him.”