Report: Gareth Bale Holds Productive Talks with Julen Lopetegui
Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale held 'productive talks' with new coach Julen Lopetegui that all but certainly point to him staying with the reigning European champions this summer, following many months of speculation.
Bale has been heavily linked with Manchester United for longer than anyone cares to remember and fuelled speculation of a departure from Madrid when he spoke honestly after the Champions League final about his frustrations over not playing regularly enough.
It was subsequently rumored that he was in 'advanced talks' over a move to United, with a meeting with Lopetegui seen as a potentially decisive moment in his Real career.
Even before the meeting it was reported that the former Spanish national team boss planned to inform Bale of his importance to the plans this coming season.
And that remains the case now that said long awaited meeting is believed to have taken place.
According to the Daily Mirror, Bale is 'fired up for the new season' because of how well it went.
With Cristiano Ronaldo gone after completing a €100m move to Juventus and doubts as to whether Real will actually directly replace the five-time Ballon d'Or winner with a marquee signing after retiring the Galacticos transfer policy in 2014, Bale has the opportunity to finally move into the spotlight.
Injuries in recent seasons have prevented Bale from hitting the heights expected of him after a world record move to Madrid from Tottenham in 2013. But he appeared to be over the worst of his problems last season, playing more games than he's managed since the 2014/15 campaign.
To date, Bale has played just shy of 190 games for Real and has scored 88 goals.
