Bale risks more Real Madrid anger as agent 'offers' Welshman to local rivals

The Wales star, 32, is on the hunt for a new club this summer following the expiration of his lucrative Real Madrid contract.

Bale has been linked with a Premier League return with Tottenham, as well as a Cardiff City homecoming, but comments from Getafe president Angel Torres suggested he could stay in the Spanish captial.

Torres claimed the Madrid-based club were offered Bale's services by his agent Jonathan Barnett.

Speaking on Wednesday at a formal presentation, Torres said: "50 minutes ago they offered me Bale.

"I have to think about it and talk to the coach, I don't know if he's going to come."

The Azulones even tweeted 'Getafe Getafe Getafe - in that order' - a reference to Bale's infamous 'Wales Golf Madrid - in that order' banner.

However, agent Barnett has since rubbished the reports, claiming 'he doesn't even have Torres' number' in a quote given to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Despite a glittering nine-year career at Real, which included five Champions League triumphs and three LaLiga titles, Bale became unpopular among fans during the latter years of his spell.

The Welshman featured only seven times during the 2021/22 campaign and many supporters felt the forward cared more about golf than earning his £554,000-a-week salary at the club.

There were even suggestions Bale perceived lack of interest in the game could see him retire if Wales failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

Following his nation's victory over Ukraine, the ex-Tottenham man will now be keen to stay match-fit before the Qatar event in November.

However, Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor believes big clubs will not take a chance on Bale, at the risk of him saving himself for Wales duty.

"He won't give you the work rate and the pressing, so you can probably say the big teams won't have him," Agbonlahor told the talkSPORT Breakfast show.

"I'm sure there's a Premier League team who will take him, he can still offer a lot.

"But do you worry that when October comes around, he'll have the World Cup on his mind and take his foot off the gas? That will come into managers' thinking.

"This is his only chance to play in the World Cup. He will not go full throttle the month before it starts, he will protect himself.

"A lot of players will have that in their mind."