Toshack is ‘sickened’ over Bale’s Real saga

JOHN TOSHACK says he is “sickened” by the collapse of Gareth Bale’s proposed big money move from Real Madrid to China this summer.

Bale has fallen out of favour with Zinedine Zidane in the Spanish capital and appeared destined for a switch to Jiangsu Suning earlier this month.

But the £1m-a-week move fell through, meaning Bale - who still has three years left to run on his current deal with the club - is now set to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In the aftermath of the failed transfer, Bale pulled out of the La Liga giants’ squad for a pre-season tournament in Munich.

And Toshack – who handed Bale his Wales debut in 2006 – admits he’s “saddened” by the 30-year-old’s situation while urging the 77-cap international to speak out rather than his letting his agent Jonathan Barnett do the talking.

“Terrible to have to take a pay cut to £150,000 a week – how can they manage with that,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“He’s got a family and a couple of children, how can you manage?! It saddens me – sickens and saddens me the way that this has gone.

“And nothing comes out from Gareth. Nothing. Only his agent, this, that – sad, sad for the football I know and loved, it saddens and sickens me.”

Bale joined Real Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 and has helped the Spaniards win multiple trophies, including a La Liga title and four Champions Leagues.

But Toshack says the criticism of the 30-year-old is “justified”, adding that it’s an “insult” to Bale’s employers that he does not fluently speak the Spanish language after six years in Madrid.