Real Madrid Transfer News: Gareth Bale Has 'No Plans to Leave' Amid Rumours

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale reportedly has no intention of leaving the club this summer, despite mounting speculation the two parties could be headed for a split.

AS' Sergio Santos Chozas said the Wales international is having a tough spell at the club right now, but he's still determined to stick around:

"Gareth Bale is going through his most difficult time as a Real Madrid player and didn't feature at all in the Champions League match against Juventus. Despite this, those closest to him insist that he has no plans to leave in this summer's transfer window. If he does go, it will have to be the club that takes the step of putting him on the market, with a contract that runs until 2022."

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Chozas' colleague Manu Sainz previously reported all signs appeared to point toward a summer exit, but the former Tottenham Hotspur man appears to have other plans.

The report also highlighted how Bale didn't appear to celebrate Real's three goals in the UEFA Champions League win over Juventus, and his value is tricky to gauge at this point. As Wales will not partake in the FIFA World Cup, the speedster will not have the chance to increase his value this summer.

Isco started in place of Bale against the Bianconeri and put together a starring performance in the emphatic win. The crowd favourite is likely to be the preferred option in Europe moving forward.

Bale has been solid of late when he has played, scoring a brace in the La Liga win over Las Palmas. That performance landed him in WhoScored.com's Team of the Week:

But the La Liga campaign isn't nearly as important for Los Blancos as the Champions League, as Barcelona have a massive lead at the top of the table. And in Europe, Bale continues to spend most of his time on the bench.

The 28-year-old's status at the club has been unclear for some time now. After a promising debut campaign, a series of injuries have limited his playing time with Real, and others have stepped up in his place.

Like James Rodriguez, Bale quickly fell out of the fans' favour, and transfer speculation has been a constant for years.

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Los Blancos made him the then-most expensive player in the world when they bought the Welshman in 2013, however, and that has always complicated the situation. Real have tried everything to make the move work, in part because they know they'll likely never receive the same kind of fee in the case of a sale.

Things worked out for Rodriguez, who has rediscovered his best form while on loan at Bayern Munich, and perhaps a change of scenery is all Bale needs to get back to his old self.