Gareth Bale Wants Assurances over Real Madrid Role, Says Agent Amid Exit Rumours

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale's agent has said the player wants assurances over his role at the club ahead of the 2018-19 season. 

The Wales international's previous campaign was one of highs and lows, as he struggled for game time before playing a starring role in Real's UEFA Champions League final win over Liverpool, coming off the bench to net two goals.

Speculation has swirled about Bale's future as a result, and he has yet to sit down for talks about his situation with the European champions, according to agent Jonathan Barnett, per Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports.

"I think we have to have a chat with Real Madrid and see where we're going," Barnett said. "He wants a better year than he had last year. He wants to play more, and that's paramount to him. …For somebody like him, he has to play. It's not about money."

Pavel Golovkin/Associated Press

In addition to comments about his future, Barnett said he Bale believes is capable of winning the Ballon d'Or: "I think he's one of the top three or four players on earth."

As Sky Sports noted, Manchester United and Chelsea are both said to be interested in a move for the 28-year-old.

As we can see below, the former Tottenham Hotspur man's cameo off the bench in the final against Liverpool was historic:

It was an illustration of what Bale is capable of when he is fit and firing. He's a wonderful footballer in full flow, as he can do just about anything from an attacking sense.

That was not the first time Bale has influenced a huge game since his move to Madrid in 2013, either, as football writer Tom Williams noted after the final:

The fact Bale was on the bench is indicative of the rest of his season, which was blemished by inconsistent form and fitness issues.

Injury problems have prevented Bale from having an even bigger impact at Madrid down the years, and going into big games, it was somewhat understandable that former manager Zinedine Zidane felt as though the winger couldn't be relied upon.

James Robson of the Manchester Evening News believes a change in manager may give Bale's Madrid career fresh impetus:

The issue any suitors would have in trying to sign Bale is that Madrid would surely demand a huge fee; his age—the Welshman is 29 in July—and injury woes would make many think twice about parting with a substantial fee.

According to his agent, Bale is happy in Spain. However, if he wants even more from his Madrid career in years to come, there's an onus on him to stay fit and add some consistency to his performances.