Bale not in my plans: Real Madrid coach Ancelotti

MADRID — Real Madrid’s interest in Gareth Bale appears to be cooling after head coach Carlo Ancelotti told club president Florentino Perez that he did not consider the Tottenham player integral to his plans this season.

Ancelotti’s comments, which are understood to have been made in a meeting with Perez at the end of the club’s US tour, follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s refusal to publicly endorse the signing last week and a change in public opinion in Madrid.

Real’s position could prompt Manchester United to formalise their interest in Bale — who has been ruled out of Wales’ friendly international with Republic of Ireland, despite training with Chris Coleman’s squad yesterday morning (Aug 13) — following the Old Trafford club’s failure to prise Ronaldo from the Bernabeu.

United manager David Moyes admires Bale, but the club remain wary of making a formal offer because of concerns over Tottenham’s willingness to sell to them and the lack of encouragement from the Welshman’s camp that he would consider a move to Old Trafford.

When Real Madrid president Perez, who denies meeting Daniel Levy in Florida last week in an attempt to reach an agreement over Bale, set off with his players on the club’s pre-season tour two weeks ago, the pressure was on him to sign a superstar to counter Barcelona’s capture of Neymar. But, with Real having won six of their seven summer friendlies, the pressure has eased.

Supporters have questioned the wisdom of paying anything more than €70 million (S$117.6 million) for Bale; players have questioned the need for another expensive acquisition; and now Ancelotti has said his piece.

After Real’s last game against Inter Milan in St Louis, the Madrid coach was asked about Bale. He replied: “Why talk about Bale when Jesé (Rodríguez) and (Alvaro) Morata have both played so well. They are young but incredibly talented.”

That response was in marked contrast to earlier on the tour when Ancelotti had openly talked of negotiations progressing and reflects not only how well the squad are performing just five days ahead of the new season but also the lack of optimism within the club that any prompt resolution can be reached with Tottenham.

Tottenham continue to insist on the inclusion of Morata in any deal but Perez is under pressure to keep the homegrown players at the club. Angel Di María, another potential makeweight who might have helped the deal go through, has told Madrid he wants to stay in Spain.

Ronaldo has scored six goals in pre-season and he sowed the first seeds of doubt over how well the signing of Bale was being received in the Real Madrid dressing room when he said in a press conference last week: “I have my views but I am not going to share them publicly.”

Ancelotti feels that with Ronaldo, Isco and Mesut Ozil operating behind Karim Benzema he has his first-team front four and that in Morata, Jese, Kaka and Di María he also has two players for each position.

Bale has done exactly as Real would have wanted by featuring in only one of Spurs’ pre-season friendlies and the feeling in Madrid is still that the player will end up at the Bernabeu but whether the deal happens this summer or next has been thrown back in the balance by Madrid’s form and the two clubs’ inability to come any closer in player valuation. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH