Gareth Bale's £1m-a-week deal to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning appears to have collapsed.
The 30-year-old had looked set to leave Real Madrid and head to the Chinese Super League after Spanish outlet Marca had claimed there were only minor details to sort on a three-year deal.
However, on Sunday afternoon it seemed the move had fallen through - with Bale set to stay in the Spanish capital.
It has been suggested that Real pulled the plug over demands made for a transfer fee for Bale.
The Spanish club's president Fiorentino Perez is reported to be blocking the move as he believes Bale is too valuable to let go for a minimal fee.
With the Chinese transfer window closing on Wednesday, a move there does seemingly look dead in the water now - with a stay to Madrid now likely.
However, it remains to be seen how Bale can work with manager Zinedine Zidane if he does indeed stay at the Bernabeau.
Relations between Bale and Zidane have been strained ever since the Frenchman return to the Bernabeu, and matters have come to a head over the past week.
The Real boss revealed that it would be "better for everybody" if Bale left the Spanish capital, prompting Barnett to label him "a disgrace".
With Bale set to stay, and the implication that Madrid and Perez are the ones to have pulled the plug, it does raise questions over Zidane's role at the Spanish giants if he is unable to sell a player he has publicly advertised as available - especially after an embarrassing 7-3 pre-season thrashing to rivals Atletico Madrid.
