Gareth Bale's agent has responded to the Real Madrid star's latest snub by Zinedine Zidane, labelling it 'a shame'.
Jonathan Barnett said he hoped Wales star Bale would 'keep playing' for Madrid - but that seems increasingly unlikely after boss Zidane left him out of the squad for a second successive La Liga game.
Bale won't travel with the squad for Sunday's game away to Real Sociedad, having also missed last week's 3-2 win at home to Villarreal.
He has been linked with a return to the Premier League, with Manchester United and former club Tottenham possible suitors.
However, with three years left to run on his contract, the 29-year-old who joined Madrid for £90m in 2013 won't come cheap.
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Barnett expressed his disappointment at Bale being left out in the cold for a second week running.
"It's a shame Bale is not playing," he told Goal .
"Should he be playing more after being left out of the last two squad lists? I can only hope that he keeps playing for Real Madrid. But that's up to Mr Zidane.
"Zidane makes the decision. Is this (Bale being axed) a message ahead of the next transfer market? You'd have to ask the coach."
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At a press conference on Saturday, Zidane refused to discuss Bale's future or Barnett's comments.
"No, I don't want to answer. I'm the coach of Real Madrid and [Barnett] does his job," he said.
"I have to think about the game, playing well, that's what worries me. I won't tell you anything about [the conversation]. Private conversations are private.
"It's what I have to do with all of the players, but it stays internal. With the players I talk about other things, not just their futures."
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It is thought that Real are keen to move Bale on in order to make room for Chelsea's Eden Hazard, who is hotly tipped to move to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.
