Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest on Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale Rumours

Real Madrid Castilla coach and club legend Zinedine Zidane has rubbished rumours linking Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale with transfer moves away from the club, stating Los Blancos have no interest in selling two of the best players in the world.

Speaking to Shortlist magazine (h/t AS' Joaquin Maroto), Zidane ridiculed the idea that either of the two would be leaving the Bernabeu anytime soon:

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We sign the best players in the world, we don’t sell them. There are a lot of clubs interested in them, there’s no doubt about that, neither Cristiano nor Bale are on the market.

[...] Of course clubs are going to want Gareth, he is one of the best in the world, but I am not sure how much clearer we can be. Gareth has made it clear, his agent has made it clear, we have made it clear, his future is at Real Madrid.

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Both players are frequently linked with moves away from the club, with L'Equipe (h/t Mundo Deportivo, via Football Espana) claiming Paris Saint-Germain are eyeing up Ronaldo and Fichajes.net (via Daily Star's Marc Williams) believing Bale is being tracked by Bayern Munich and Manchester United.

Ronaldo is widely regarded as the world's best player alongside Barcelona's Lionel Messi, and a move for the Portuguese international seems like the stuff of dreams for any club in the world. He's been with Real for six years now and recently became Los Blancos' all-time top scorer, per the club's official website.

The 30-year-old has become almost synonymous with Real Madrid in the last couple of seasons and adds more than just goals to the team. He's one of the world's most recognisable athletes, does wonders for the club's shirt sales and adds to Los Blancos' prestige by wearing the iconic white kit.

Bale's situation is a little different. The Welshman joined Real from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 and made a strong impression in his first season with the club, but he has since come under scrutiny and hasn't lived up to his big transfer fee and the lofty expectations.

The 2014/15 campaign was a disappointing one for Bale, and this season hasn't started out much better. Per the Daily Mirror's Ed Malyon, the Spanish media have fully turned against him:

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There had been persistent naggings, a chipping away at the Welshman that has come in many forms, be it support of a direct rival for his position, leaked tidbits or simply a downplaying of his talents.

But this was far more explicit and brutal, Bale being called a liar, irresponsible and - his biggest crime - not deemed to be a true Madridista.

While the meaning of Madridista can vary slightly, in this case it means not only someone who thinks like a Real Madrid player should, but also someone who is of the right character to play for Real Madrid, who understands Madridismo .

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Simply put, Bale is not the most popular man in Madrid right now, and his performances on the pitch haven't helped. While that will always fuel transfer rumours, he also recently announced his girlfriend is pregnant, and it's not inconceivable to think he and his partner would entertain the idea of raising their children in Britain.

With that said, a transfer of Bale could be an option in the near future if his performances don't improve, but as long as manager Rafa Benitez has a sportive reason to keep the Welshman in the Spanish capital, he will.

Like Zidane said, Real are not in the habit of selling their star players. The likes of Angel Di Maria and Alvaro Morata were sold because they were no longer automatic starters and deemed expendable, and it's been a long time since Los Blancos were forced into selling a player they actually wanted to keep.

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