Gareth Bale's Agent: 'It's a Shame' Real Madrid Star Dropped by Zinedine Zidane

Gareth Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has questioned Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane's decision to leave the Welshman out of the squad for their trip to Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Los Blancos announced their 19-man squad on Saturday, and for the second game running, Bale was left out:

Per Goal's Alberto Pinero, Barnett said:

"It's a shame Bale is not playing.

"Should he be playing more after being left out of the last two squad lists? I can only hope that he keeps playing for Real Madrid. But that's up to Mr. Zidane.

"Zidane makes the decision. Is this [Bale being dropped] a message ahead of the next transfer market? You'd have to ask the coach."

Zidane was asked about Bale's future in his press conference ahead of the Sociedad clash, per The Spanish Football Podcast:

The 29-year-old's future at the Santiago Bernabeu has been the subject of much speculation since Zidane took charge for his second spell as manager in March.

Bale helped the Frenchman win three successive UEFA Champions League titles during his first stint in the dugout, but the pair had little relationship with each other.

The winger has netted 14 goals and assisted a further six this season, but like many of his team-mates, he has been disappointing for much of the campaign.

After Bale was dropped from the squad for Real's last match, a 3-2 win over Villarreal, Barnett told Sky Sports (h/t Marca), that "I am not sure that Zidane wants him to stay, but at the moment Gareth wants to stay."

AS' Robbie Dunne suggested he was left out again in response to Barnett's comments:

If Real do hope to sell him this summer to fund a rebuild, leaving him out of the side won't help maintain his value in the transfer market.

On the other hand, there aren't many suitors who can afford his reported weekly wage packet of £350,000 after tax or will be willing to splash out on him given his injury record and the fact he'll be 30 this summer.

A reduced value might mean they'll make less money on a sale, but it would increase their chances of offloading him.