Ramon Calderon has come out to shed light on the ongoing saga between Spanish giants Real Madrid and Gareth Bale, claiming the Welshman will leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer on a free transfer.
The former Real Madrid president reveals that after turning down a €100 million (£89m/$118m) from a Premier League club in 2019, Bale would be allowed to walk free this window.
Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid in 2013 as the most expensive player in world football, however, the Wales international has now dropped in the pecking order at the club, after failing to feature regularly since the appointment of head coach Zinedine Zidane.
The 31-year-old reportedly has his heart set on a move away from the Spanish outfit and Calderon believes both club and player would part their separate ways this summer.
Calderon believes that Bale would leave Real Madrid as for free, after rejecting a big-money bid from England barely just 12 months after.
Speaking to talkSPORT. he said: “I know in the last day of the transfer window last year there was an offer from the Premier League,”
“They offered €100m, and Real Madrid turned down that offer because they thought Bale would be a player in their side.
“He came in 2013 with a contract for six years, and the strange thing is in 2016 – with Zidane at the helm – the club extended his contract until 2022.
“I don’t know why, but at the end of 2018 when he played well in the Champions League final [against Liverpool], Zidane told the president to keep Cristiano Ronaldo and sell Bale.
“The president did the opposite, and Zidane left, and from that moment there has been a disagreement between Zidane and the player.
“And in some way, I think fans are angry and annoyed because they’ve seen Bale not interested in some matches, and now they have to find a solution.
When asked about the Premier League club that made an offer for Bale, Calderon added: “I’m not allowed to say the name – though I know the name of the club – and I think at the end there was a disagreement as Real Madrid decided not to sell the player, because they thought he was a player who could be used and be in the starting line-up.
“But I think the player neither wants to leave nor to reduce his salary; it is true his salary is very high, but in 2016 the club decided to increase his salary.
“It is difficult for any club to pay that salary, especially knowing the situation of football nowadays.”
Gareth Bale made 20 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions last season, scoring three goals and providing two assists for his teammates.
