La Liga champions Real Madrid will not be spending heavily on signing new players in the summer transfer window. The focus will instead be on sales as the club looks to ensure financial stability amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
With sales being the priority, getting the large wages of Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez off the books will be considered paramount in this window.
However, according to Marca, the Spanish giants are still waiting for offers for the pair, who don't feature in head coach Zinedine Zidane's plans.
Bale was the subject of interest from his former club Tottenham Hotspur and Lazio, but a move has failed to materialise so far.
The Welshman's Real Madrid contract runs through to the end of the 2022-23 season, so the club are desperate to have this situation resolved. With Bale not being used even as a substitute by Zidane, the only real solution is to find a buyer for him and take the Welshman's massive wages off the Real Madrid books.
With regards to Bale, Marca have said that it's hugely difficult to imagine a situation where a club makes an acceptable offer for him. They have also reported that Bale himself is determined to stay at Real Madrid and see out the two remaining years of his contract.
However, with the UEFA European Championship being postponed and the tournament now set to be played in the summer of 2021, there is a chance Bale could leave to ensure that he gets enough game time as he is sharp enough to lead Wales in that tournament.
Real Madrid could sell James Rodriguez for cheap
With the Bale situation not really looking to be in Real Madrid's favour, the club are said to be a bit more confident in ensuring that they can sell James Rodriguez this summer.
The Colombian has only one year left on his contract at Real Madrid, and the Spanish giants are reportedly confident of finding a buyer for him this summer. Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be interested in signing Rodriguez, with manager Jose Mourinho keen on bringing him back to London, according to the Daily Mail.
Marca, however, report that time is of the essence for Real Madrid, with the fiscal impact of COVID-19 having hit the club hard. Rodriguez and Bale are said to cost the La Liga champions a combined €50m in wages per season.