Gareth Bale Agent: Zinedine Zidane's Plans Will Decide Real Madrid Star's Future

Zinedine Zidane's return as Real Madrid manager appears set to determine Gareth Bale's future in the Spanish capital beyond this season.

The player's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has said Bale will "wait and see" what Zidane has in store before making any decisions, per ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan.

Waiting on Zidane could be a problem for Bale, who didn't always enjoy himself during the Frenchman's previous tenure. Zidane was announced as manager for a second time on Monday, 10 months after he resigned, per BBC Sport.

He stepped down in 2018 after guiding Los Blancos to three straight UEFA Champions League trophies. Zidane, who also won La Liga in 2017, replaced Santiago Solari, who had taken the job back in October following Julen Lopetegui's dismissal.

It's not necessarily good news for Bale, who became something of a bit-part player during Zidane's final season in charge. Bagging a brace as a substitute to beat Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final offered a timely reminder of Bale's quality, though.

Even so, Zidane's second tour at the Santiago Bernabeu has many predicting doom for Bale. A report from Nick Wright of Sky Sports noted how the Welshman stayed silent when Zidane announced he was stepping down back in May.

Wright also cited a quote from Marca: "This reinforces the idea that he is sentenced. His days are numbered."

It makes for gloomy reading for Bale, yet ironically, the 29-year-old is a player Zidane needs in order to help get Real back on track. Los Merengues are third in the Spanish top flight, 12 points adrift of bitter rivals Barcelona.

The club also suffered the indignity of seeing its grip on the Champions League loosened when Ajax left the Bernabeu with a 4-1 win in the second leg of the last 16.

Most of Real's problems stem from the failure to replace Cristiano Ronaldo after the attacking talisman was sold to Juventus last summer. Bale is one of the few players with the pace, aerial prowess and shooting power to offer a similar threat to the one Ronaldo posed to the continent's top defences.

Like Ronaldo, the former Tottenham Hotspur star is also versatile enough to play wide or through the middle. His runs from out to in can lend Real the fluidity missing from this season's forward line.

Of course, that's all depending on Bale's ability to stay fit. Injuries have continued to blight the gifted forward, who has missed time with five problems this season, according to Transfermarkt.co.uk.

It's in Bale's interest to prove his fitness to Zidane as soon as possible.

Yet it's also in Zidane's best interests to start appreciating the worth of a marquee player who is still a match-winner at the highest level.