Real Madrid's decision to pull the plug on Gareth Bale’s £1million-a-week move to China is set to cost the Spanish giants a fortune.
Bale, 30, was set to become the highest-paid player in the game last year until Real decided to block his bank-busting deal with Nanjing-based Jiangsu Suning at the last minute.
Real are now looking to get the Welshman off the Bernabeu wage bill this summer, but the exit door to the Far East has been slammed shut by Chinese FA financial regulations brought in to bring through more homegrown players.
That means Madrid will now be forced to hand Bale a massive pay-off to leave the club – or agree to pay a significant chunk of his £600,000-a-week wages for the next two seasons.
There have so far been no takers for the former Tottenham star.
And that situation is unlikely to change, given the squeeze on transfer fees and wages that is likely to follow the current coronavirus crisis.
Bale has made it clear that he is happy to stay at the Bernabeu till his contract expires, but pressure is on the Spanish club to shift Bale.
A move to the MLS was mooted – but that would involve Real coming up with a financial compromise first.
