Arjen Robben
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid blocked my return to Premier League
Gareth Bale has accused Real Madrid of making it “very difficult” to leave the Spanish club as the Wales forward looks to end his Bernabeu exile. Bale is out of favour with Real manager Zinedine Zidane and played just 48 minutes of Madrid’s 12 games when the Spanish season resumed after the coronavirus lockdown. Zidane, who has feuded with Bale throughout his two spells in charge, said the winger did not want to play in last season’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie at Manchester City. Bale has two years left on his Real contract, but there appears little chance he will force his way into the manager’s plans. The 31-year-old almost joined Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning in 2019 before Real pulled the plug on the deal, a decision that still irks Bale. “I think the club needs...
Bayern Munich reserve shirt number for Leroy Sane ahead transfer
Manchester City’s Leroy Sane has the No.10 shirt reserved for him at German giants Bayern Munich next season. Media outlets in Germany are convinced Sane will finally complete a move back to the Bundesliga this summer. And the current Bundesliga leaders are ready to offer the No.10 shirt worn for a decade by Dutch legend Arjen Robben and currently taken by the on-loan Philippe Coutinho. Sane’s transfer to Bayern was scuppered last August when he suffered a serious knee injury in the Community Shield. City and Bayern have to agree a deal but the 24-year-old now only has one year left on his contract. Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “It is well known that I never comment on players who are under contract with other clubs.” Sane was one of Guardiola’s first signings ...
