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Gareth Bale's proposed transfer to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning broke down because Real Madrid "changed their minds," his agent, Jonathan Barnett, told ESPN FC on Monday. On Sunday, Bernabeu sources told ESPN FC the proposed transfer was called off after the Wales international's family opted against the move. - When does the transfer window close?
- All major completed transfer deals However, Barnett has blamed Madrid's hierarchy for the deal falling through -- and said that Madrid had given Bale's camp the green light to negotiate a move, only to go back on that agreement when it was close to being finalised. Last week ESPN FC learned that Madrid were willing to let Bale, who was left off the squad by coach Zinedine Zidane to play in the Audi Cup, move to China on a free transfer -- a deal that would have saved the club around €100 million in salary and taxes over the remaining three years of the 30-year-old's contract. Marca reported on Friday that Bale was to be paid €22m a season [after taxes] on a three-year contract with Jiangsu, though Barnett has told ESPN FC that story was "fake news." Reports have suggested that when Madrid president Florentino Perez learned that the Chinese Super League club were willing to pay so much money to Bale, he decided that his club could not let such a valuable player leave for nothing. Jiangsu had already signed Brazilian defender Miranda before adding Croatian forward Ivan Santini on Monday, which means there is no room left for any foreign additions. Zidane has said repeatedly in recent weeks that he hopes Bale leaves Madrid this summer, as removing his wages from the books likely would boost the chances of Los Blancos signing Paul Pogba from Manchester United. Asked for an update on Bale's situation after Friday's 7-3 International Champions Cup loss to Atletico Madrid, Zidane replied: "At the moment it is the same, Bale is here with us, he played, and we will see what happens." On Monday morning, the club announced that Bale trained alone away from his teammates at Madrid's Valdebebas facility.
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