Bale off to China on mega deal after club and contract details emerge

Gareth Bale is closing on a highly-lucrative move to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning, according to reports.

Spanish media reported the Wales international will sign a three-year deal worth an estimated £1million a week, while it is also claimed he could net himself an estimated £20m signing on fee.

Should he complete his stay in the Far East, Bale could pocket an estimated £176million.

His exit would mean Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has won his battle of wills with the forward, whose six-year stay in the Spanish capital looked set to come to an end once the Frenchman returned for his second spell in charge.

Zidane made it clear he was not Bale’s biggest fan and the player’s injury record – he has made just 79 LaLiga starts in the last four seasons – did not help his cause.

Last week the Real boss had said the player was “very close to leaving” and his exit would be “best for everyone” after omitting him from their pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich.

In response Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett branded Zidane a “disgrace”.

“Zidane is a disgrace to speak like that about someone who has done so much for Real,” Barnett told ESPN.

“If and when Gareth goes it will be because it is in the best interest of Gareth and nothing to do with Zidane pushing.”

Bale played 42 matches for Real last season and was booed by his side’s home supporters at times during the campaign.

He had been linked with moves to Man Utd, Tottenham and Liverpool, as well as Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, but it seems the big-money move to the Chinese Super League will be announced before the end of the weekend. in arguably the country’s most high-profile signing yet.