Madrid want to Bale out but Gareth is Real-ly happy

GARETH BALE says he’s happy at Real Madrid and wants to stay at the club despite interest from Manchester United, citing the feeling of a “special” third Champions League won with the Spanish side in his home city of Cardiff.

The Independent understands the European champions would be open to discussing United’s interest as they attempt to sign Old Trafford goalkeeper David De Gea and free funds and squad space for pursuits of Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, but the Welsh star has insisted he wants to stay and that his main concern for the summer is getting fit.

“Yeah, I have signed a long term contract at Madrid,” Bale said after Real’s 4-1 win over Juventus at the Millennium Stadium.

“My family is happy and I am happy so, yeah, we will continue what we are doing. As I have said, I am happy here at Madrid. We are winning trophies and I am happy.”

Wearing what was his third Champions League medal - a first for a Welsh player - Bale cited such success as the reason he went to the Bernabeu, but admitted it was a tough few weeks as he worked to get fit for the final and never really expected to start.

“There’s always a first for everything,” Bale said of becoming the first Welsh player to claim the Champions League three times. “It’s why you’re a footballer, it’s the reason came here. It was a very special occasion for me personally. It was an incredible feeling to lift that trophy here.

“I only found out I wasn’t going to start just before the game, but I always knew really because I’d only been training for five days with the team and I was really lucky to be involved, to be honest.

“I’ve worked double sessions for three, four weeks to get myself ready for this, to get myself fit, recover from the surgery – which still has a little more healing to do – but I will be able to rest in the summer, do some more rehab and then come next season stronger.” – The Independent