Gareth Bale Left From Real Madrid Squad Amid Premier League Return

Real Madrid out of favor Gareth Bale has been axed from Zinedine Zidane 22-man squad for their final La Liga game of the season amid speculations he could return to the Premier League.

Bale appears to be on his way out of Madrid this summer, with Newcastle United having been linked with a move for the Wales international if a proposed Saudi-led takeover of the club is approved.

The 31-year-old has also been linked with a return to former club Tottenham, while Manchester United have been suggested as a possible destination numerous times in recent years.

And a return to English football may have moved a step closer after Bale was left out for the newly crowned Spanish champions' clash away at Leganes on Sunday night.

Reports have suggested Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is desperate to move Bale on in the summer transfer window.

The forward could be seen celebrating awkwardly when Real sealed the Spanish title against Villarreal on Thursday, standing to one side as his team-mates jubilantly threw Zidane in the air.

Since the season resumed in June, Bale has made just two appearances for Los Blancos - and has failed to feature in their last six games.

Bale was snapped watching last Monday's win over Granada from the stands through pretend binoculars, while was also seen pretending to fall asleep with a face mask over his eyes during Madrid's 2-0 win over Alaves three days before that.

His antics angered some fans, while Bale's former Tottenham teammate Dimitar Berbatov accused the Welshman of "disrespecting" Real Madrid.

"Gareth Bale is in the headlines again for pretending to sleep in the stands when he found out he was going to be an unused substitute," Berbatov told Betfair.

"When I saw it I couldn't believe it. I watched him put his mask over his eyes and pretend to be asleep.

"I cannot support that. It is unprofessional and disrespectful to Real Madrid.

"Madrid need to find a solution to the Bale saga. It's not good for Bale or the team."

At one stage last summer, Bale appeared set to switch to Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua which was not materialized.

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Messi Sees Lack Of Support At Barcelona - Dani Alves

Former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves believes that Barcelona star  Lionel Messi is growing frustrated with the fact that he consistently has to lift the team.

The Argentine's exasperation came to the fore on Thursday night as he did the post-match interview after Barcelona's 2-1 defeat at home to Osasuna, which came on a night that Real Madrid became LaLiga Santander champions.

"He's a born winner, he doesn't like to lose and it's normal to get angry," Alves told Catalunya Radio.

"He wants to win every time, like me.

"He's been doing it for so long that you can tell when your team is giving [that feeling] and when it's not.

"That's why he said it, he's been at Barcelona for many years and he's aware of what he needs to be able to win and aspire to great things.

"He sees, what I feel, and that's a lack of support.

"Messi was the main course, but we were the perfect ingredients [in the past].

"He always wants to be on top and you need people to build that.

"The feeling now is that he always has to be doing everything for the team and he's only human."

So, does the Brazilian think that Messi could leave?

"No, I don't think so," Alves responded.

"He's the face of this club, of this team and it would be the biggest mistake the club would ever make [if he left].

"It would be a mistake for such a player not to retire there and change the name of Camp Nou to Leo Messi."

Neymar has been strongly linked with a return to Barcelona in the last couple of summers, and Alves admitted to trying to convince his compatriot to join the Catalan side once again.

"The only one I've tried to convince is Neymar to go to Barcelona," he explained.

"He had a very big offer from Real Madrid, and I told him that if he wanted to be happy he should come to Barcelona.

"It's the only time I've ever convinced anyone of anything.

"If I were him, I would come back without thinking about it.

"I never think that people make mistakes when they make a decision.

"Everyone knows that Ney can help Barcelona, Messi and the club to become a giant again in LaLiga, in Europe... and football is becoming more and more balanced.

"The team has 11 and with Messi you have 13.

"The team has 11 and with Neymar you have 13."

The 37-year-old departed in 2016 as he joined Juventus on a free, but he is not happy about the way his exit was handled.

"I'm not a selfish, spiteful person," Alves stated.

"Of course I miss Barcelona, and I always will, because it's my home.

"The other day I said to my people that I was at Barcelona for eight years and I basically left out the back door.

"That bittersweet taste of asking you what else there is to do remains.

"I felt hurt at the time because I was doing so much at Barcelona and they didn't want to give me a new contract.

"I had just had my best season. I did not feel valued.

"Real Madrid, and other teams, offered me double and I decided to go to Barcelona [when I left Sevilla]; I wanted to have the right to make the decision to leave [when the time finally arrived].

"I wanted to go out the front door.

"I was left with this situation that I didn't like.

"I'm not bitter, I'm a pure and clean soul.

"When I left, as I said on another occasion, my thought was to go and prove my worth elsewhere and then come back.

"That's why I dedicated myself double and even triple."

Alves ended up spending just one year at Juventus as he made the move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, again on a free, but there was some talk that he could have returned to Barcelona in the last few years, so was it true?

"Things were being talked about, but nothing ever came of it," Alves confirmed.

"I'm not bitter, but they are anyway [laughs]."

Xavi Hernandez has been strongly tipped to take charge at Barcelona, most likely depending on the results of the presidential elections in 2021, and Alves is excited about the Blaugrana's future is his former teammate takes charge.

"It will be Barcelona's 3.0 version," he noted.

"A team is not just 11, it's not just a coach... it's the conjugation of all those verbs.

"That's how you make a great team invincible: when it's in tune."

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Arsenal 'In Advanced Talks For Philippe Coutinho Swap Deal

Arsenal are in talks with Barcelona over a proposed deal for Philippe Coutinho which could involve Matteo Guendouzi moving the other way.

Phillipe Coutinho has been in the frame of transfer lately, he's poised for a return to the Premier League ahead of next summer, with the former Liverpool attacker surplus to requirements at Camp Nou.

Chelsea, Tottenham, Leicester City and Newcastle United have all been linked with the 28-year-old, as well as FA Cup hopefuls Arsenal.

Matteo Guendouzi's Emirates future in doubt after the midfielder was dropped by boss Mikel Arteta following his antics against Brighton last month against Maupay.

Arsenal and Barcelona are in talks over a swap deal involving the two players, according to Foot Mercato.

The publication says Arsenal technical director Edu has long courted Coutinho, while Guendouzi has been held in similar esteem by Barcelona chiefs.

Barcelona are keen to get Coutinho off the wage bill with the midfielder having failed to hit the heights he enjoyed at Liverpool since his transfer to Catalonia in January 2018.

The Brazilian is contracted to Barcelona until 2023.

In a straight cash deal he would cost upwards of £60million, which would be a stretch for Arsenal given the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with Arteta having been told he must sell before he can buy this summer.

Therefore, the Gunners boss must find more creative solutions - and a swap between Coutinho and Guendouzi is likely after the French midfielder was left out of the squad for Arsenal's last eight games.

Arsenal's priority this summer is signing defenders and then holding midfielders.

However, the Gunners have an unusual relationship with Coutinho via his agent which could help engineer the move.

Kia Joorabchian is an Arsenal fan and is good friends with Edu. He also represents Gunners defenders David Luiz and Cedric Soares.

It remains to be seen whether Joorabchian's relationship with Arsenal and Coutinho's desire to return to the Premier League come together for what would be one of the most sensational transfers of the summer.

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