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Zinedine Zidane Refuses to Rule Out Gareth Bale Exit After Mourinho Admits Interest

Zinedine Zidane has refused to rule out a summer exit for Real Madrid star Gareth Bale with Manchester United swirling.
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Zinedine Zidane has refused to rule out a summer exit for Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, after Jose Mourinho admitted that he would make the Welshman his number one target if he fell out of Los Blancos' plans. 

Zidane was quizzed heavily over the possibility of Bale leaving in his pre-UEFA Super Cup press conference on Monday, refusing to be drawn one way or another on his side's transfer business. 

Quoted by Sky Sports, he said: "I think what's important is that the player is feeling well. On top of that, he's had a lot of continuous training sessions with us and that's what is the most important. At the end of last season it wasn't easy for him, he was almost out for four months through injury but now he is very well, very concentrated, he trains with the team.

"What interests me and what is important for us is not what the coach said, it's what we are going to do tomorrow. That is all."

Mourinho hinted earlier in the day that Zidane's team selection for Tuesday night's match would offer a hint as to whether Bale would be available this summer, leading to the Frenchman being asked some searching questions about his teamsheet. 

"He will prepare his team tomorrow," Zidane said, "I will prepare my team. It's the same thing with Cristiano [Ronaldo], we've also had stories there. I think that people seem to want to blow the story beyond proportion. We're concentrated on what we're doing and that's what is really important."

Pressed a third time, he continued: 

"Well, Bale is a Real Madrid player. That is all I can say. What I want to talk to you about now is tomorrow's match because tomorrow we have a really important match. We are here: him, me and all the other players, and all the fans are here for tomorrow's match only. That's it. So, really, that stuff doesn't interest me very much."