Real Madrid transfer news: Gareth Bale's agent dismisses talks of Tottenham Hotspur return

What's the story?

Gareth Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has responded to reports linking the Real Madrid forward with a sensational return to former club Tottenham Hotspur.

In case you didn't know...

Bale's future at the Bernabeu continues to be uncertain after falling out of favour with Zinedine Zidane following a string of lacklustre performances months ago. The arrival of Eden Hazard from Chelsea this summer is likely to further alienate the Welshman from the manager even further.

Real Madrid are reportedly keen on offloading the expensive winger in a bid to recoup the funds they spent on transfers this summer. The amount Los Blancos will save from cutting out a player who earns £600,000 a week is believed to be of great help after the club spent more than £270 million to bring in Hazard, Eder Militao, Luka Jovic, Ferland Mendy, and Rodrygo.

While Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been linked with Bale in the last few weeks, Tottenham Hotspur have now emerged as the favourites to sign the 30-year-old. Reports in Spain have claimed that the Premier League side are willing to pay between £45 million and £54 million for their former player's services.

The heart of the matter

Barnett has, however, dismissed the reports of Bale's return to the Spurs as "rubbish" in a brief response. When asked about the rumours by talkSPORT, the agent bluntly replied, "I don’t comment on rubbish."

Bale joined Real Madrid from Tottenham for a then-record fee of £89.2 million six years ago and has since lifted several trophies including a La Liga title, four Champions League titles and four Club World Cups.

What's next?

Bale's massive wages and his refusal to leave on a loan deal appear to be the only barriers between him and a move away from the Bernabeu.

It is looking unlikely that the Welshman will leave the club this summer unless an exceptional offer shows itself in the days to come.