Gareth Bale Says He Hasn't Thought About Future Amid Real Madrid Exit Rumours

Gareth Bale has said he has not given his future much thought amid rumours his time at Real Madrid may be coming to an end.

Bale is competing in the China Cup with Wales and was asked about the possibility of a move to the Chinese Super League.

Per MailOnline's Jaime Wright, he said:

"It's a great country with great people. In terms of the future I'm not too sure, I haven't really looked that far to be honest.

"Whenever I come to China we always have such an amazing reception from the Chinese fans. They've been very welcoming to all of us, not just me.

"They look after us really well. But I'm sure that if I ever did come I'll be looked after very well."

As Wright noted, Bale has been linked with a move away from Real Madrid recently, with a return to Tottenham Hotspur or a transfer to Manchester United thought to be among his most likely options.

A switch to Old Trafford could be hindered by Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho's treatment of Luke Shaw. The left-back, who is represented by Jonathan Barnett, Bale's agent, has been publicly criticised by the Special One on several occasions.

Bale is among the world's top attacking stars, boasting pace, power and versatility in the final third, having split his time between both flanks and a central role this season. He has managed 12 goals and seven assists over the course of the campaign, averaging one or the other every 91 minutes.

He recently made history on the international stage too, per BBC Sport Wales:

It's evident there's much he can bring to any side. However, there are a number of issues to consider when it comes to signing the Wales international, as football writer Tom McDermott noted:

Injury has seen the 28-year-old miss 14 matches this season, and he was absent from twice that amount last year.

As such, despite his exceptional talent, it makes splashing out on him a fairly significant risk, and so much could depend on Los Blancos' demands if they do want to sell him this summer.

Bale may prefer to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu—hence giving little thought to his future beyond that—but Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane could be open to his departure, having decided not to start him in either leg of the UEFA Champions League last-16 clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

If Bale is no longer considered a key player for Real's most important matches, it could be a sign his time at the club is coming to an end, so he would do well to give his future some thought.