Gareth Bale set to end Real Madrid impasse with Zinedine Zidane by moving to Jiangsu Suning in China

The Welsh forward's days at Bernabeu had appeared numbered after manager had said 'best for everyone that he leaves

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  September 2013: Villarreal v Real Madrid – debut goal. After the start to his Real Madrid career was disrupted by injury, Gareth Bale scored his first goal for his new club against Villarreal in a La Liga game at El Madrigal Stadium. Getty

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  November 2013: Real Madrid v Real Valldolid – the perfect hat-trick. Bale started to realise the demands of Real Madrid fans after being criticised for his display in the Clasico defeat to Barcelona in October. He responded by going on a red-hot run of goalscoring form, which included his first Madrid treble in a 4-0 win over Valladolid. It was a perfect hat-trick, too: left foot, right foot, header. Getty

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  April 2014: Real Madrid v Barcelona - Copa del Rey final winner. The crowning moment of Bale’s debut season at Real Madrid. With the score level at 1-1, Bale scored one of the greatest goals in Spanish football history, burning Barcelona defender Marc Bartra for pace, sprinting half the pitch, before sliding the ball home for an 85th minute winner. Getty

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  May 2014: Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Champions League final goal. Bale stepped up once again on the biggest of stages. After the Champions League final seemed to be heading to penalties, Bale scored to give Real Madrid a 2-1 lead in extra time. Real went on to win 4-1 and claim their 10th European Cup. Getty

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  December 2014: Real Madrid v San Lorenzo - Club World Cup final goal. In a season blighted by more injury problems, Bale scored in his third major final for Real Madrid, netting the second in a 2-0 win over San Lorenzo to win the Fifa Club World Cup. Getty

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  December 2015: Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano - four-goal haul. Bale produced the most prolific performance of his Real Madrid career when he scored four goals in a 10-2 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. Three weeks later, he scored another hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Deportivo. Getty

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  May 2018: Real Madrid v Liverpool - Champions League final match-winner. Bale was finding himself increasingly marginalised by Zidane and was among the substitutes for the Champions League final against Liverpool. Called off the bench with the score at 1-1, Bale scored one of the greatest goals in Champions League history with a spectacular overhead kick. He scored again to steer Madrid to a 3-1 win and their third successive European Cup. Getty

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  December 2018: Fifa Club World Cup - player of the tournament. After the exit of Zidane, Bale resumed a more important role under eventual successor Santiago Solari and was central to Madrid’s Club World Cup triumph in Abu Dhabi. He scored a hat-trick in the semi-final against Kashima Antlers before Madrid beat Al Ain in the final. He was named player of the tournament. Getty

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  February 2019: Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid - 100th goal. On February 9, 2019 Bale became just the 15th player in Real Madrid’s history to score 100 goals for the club when he struck in a 3-1 win away to city rivals Atletico. Bale has since moved on to 102 goals, placing him 14th on Madrid’s all-time list. Getty

Gareth Bale is close to leaving Real Madrid for Chinese club Jiangsu Suning, according to reports.

Spanish media reported the Wales international will sign a three-year deal worth an estimated £1 million (Dh4.5m) a week.

His exit would mean 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.

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, in action on Friday against Atletico Madrid, is reportedly set for a move to China. AP Photo

Zidane made it clear he was not Bale's biggest fan and the player's injury record - he has made just 79 La Liga 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".

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

He has taken part in the summer pre-season tour in the United States. He scored against Arsenal on Tuesday and came on as a substitute in Friday's 7-3 loss to Atletico Madrid.