I hope Bale leaves as soon as possible: Zidane

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has told Gareth Bale that it would be better for both parties if the Welsh international were to leave the club this summer.

Zidane was talking to the press after Real Madrid lost their first pre-season game of this summer 3-1 to Bayern Munich in Houston, the United States.

There is no way Bale can be held responsible for the defeat given that he wasn't included in the squad and watched the game from the stands, but after the final whistle Zidane made it clear he isn't part of his plans.

"He wasn't called up because the club is working on his departure. We'll see what happens in the coming days," Zidane said.

The Real Madrid coach was asked when Bale was likely to leave and replied "If it is tomorrow, [it's] so much better. I hope it's imminent for all of us - for him too," he added.

Zidane's policy of excluding Bale is a repeat of what happened at the end of last season when Zidane left him out of several games.

"It isn't personal, but there comes a time when you do things because they have to be done. We have to take decisions and we have to chance," said the coach, who added that Bale "knows the situation."

The stumbling blocks to Bale leaving Real Madrid is that no club has so far come close to matching Madrid's valuation of a 30-year-old who has a long history of injuries, while Bale has so far shown himself to be unwilling to accept the major cut in salary that his departure would almost certainly bring.