Toni Kroos admits that Gareth Bale was "mad" after Real Madrid pulled the plug on his move to China last summer.
The Welshman looked poised to end his stay in the Spanish capital and head to Jiangsu Suning before the switch was blocked.
Madrid wanted a fee for the man who they made the world's most expensive player when they signed him in 2013.
But Bale's time at the Bernabeu has been less spectacular and successful than his four Champions League medals would suggest.
He has been shunned on multiple occasions by Zinedine Zidane, who himself conceded that he wanted rid of Bale.
And Kroos felt as if the 29-year-old was desperate to quit the club last summer.
He told the Lauschangriff podcast: "There's no getting around that the situation is unsatisfying for everyone.
"I believe that he (Bale) wanted to leave last summer in principle and that the club signaled a yes at first and then not again.
"I don't know if he's still mad about that. It's a difficult subject."
Bale has continued to be left out by the Madrid boss and his part in the club's title celebrations portrayed a man disconnected from his team-mates.
Nevertheless, his agent Jonathan Barnett has reiterated that the forward is more than happy to see out the remainder of his contract.
He told BBC Sport: "He likes living in Madrid and he is going nowhere. He is still as good as anyone else in the team. It's up to Zinedine Zidane.
"Of course there's been interest but there's hardly a club in the world which can afford him.
"It's a great loss that he's not in the Real Madrid team at the moment but he will not leave.
"Gareth is not looking to outlast Zinedine Zidane. Mr Zidane has been very successful. there's no hatred. Mr Zidane just does not want to play him. Gareth trains every day and he trains well."
