Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane insists he never had a problem with Gareth Bale ahead of the Welsh attacker's proposed return to England and Tottenham Hotspur.
The finishing touches are being put on Bale's season-long loan at Spurs, but Zidane revealed the deal is still not concluded despite the Welshman arriving at the club's training ground more than 24 hours ago.
Bale's time at the Bernabeu, where he won three the Champions League four times, ended on a sour note as he struggled for game time under the Frenchman and was the subject of criticism from the fans and the Spanish media. He scored 105 goals and made 68 assists in 251 games for Real Madrid.
However Zidane insists there has never been a personal issue with Bale, who is rejoining the club he left for a then world-record fee of £85 million (Dh402m) in 2013.
"I've never had an issue with him," he said on the club's official website. "I know what he's done at this club, nobody can take that away from him and these are simply things that can happen for different reasons.
"All I can say is that he hasn't signed yet, the deal isn't done and we haven't had any problems, which is what some people want.
"That hasn't been the case. Nobody can question what he's achieved. If there's now a change in his career. All I can do is wish him all the best and that's all there is to it.
"It's not as simple as that, but they're in negotiations and he's in London.
"I haven't spoken to him. He's done excellently in terms of what he's achieved here and there should be no discussion about that.
"He's won a lot of silverware at Real Madrid. All of the players who play for Madrid are aware of the club they're joining and I think that he's proved his ability.
"We'll now have to see what happens. We know what a fine player he is and what he's done over these past seven years at Real Madrid.
"I think it's also all about what the player wants. I'm not going to get into that. I'm not going to now go against what I've always said: that the player has done amazingly.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion on these issues. Gareth is still our player and the deal has yet to have been completed. We're not going to speak about things yet as that would make no sense."
Bale arrived in London on Friday afternoon along with Madrid team-mate Sergio Reguilon, who is set to join on a five-year deal for a reported £27.5m.
Reguilon had a successful loan deal at Sevilla last season and can be bought back by Madrid, who inserted a clause in the deal.
"Now that you've asked me about him, I want to take the opportunity to congratulate Reguilon for the season that he had," Zidane said.
"He's a Real Madrid player and he had the chance to go out and play. We've got two players in every position and I've got two full-backs.
"What I can't have is three or four because then it becomes a problem. I wish Reguilon all the very best because he had a good season at Sevilla and deserves to now go and join Tottenham."
Madrid begin the defence of their La Liga title this weekend against Real Sociedad, after being given extra time off following their involvement in last season's Champions League.
The club have made no signings this summer due to the financial fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic, while Eden Hazard is again struggling for fitness.
Asked if Hazard had now recovered from the ankle injury that plagued him last term, Zidane said: "I don't know, I can't tell you exactly.
"He is better and the most important thing is him, his feeling, that he is 100 per cent. We have time, we are starting the season. What he needs is to be 100 or 120 per cent."
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
