Zinedine Zidane 'ready for Real Madrid firesale' after European exit with star names under threat

  /  autty

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is reportedly ploughing ahead with a number of player sales this summer, with Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez both heavily linked with moves away.

Bale is not in Zidane's first-team plans at the Bernabeu, and was not even picked in Madrid's squad for their Champions League last-16 defeat to Manchester City on Friday evening.

Rodriguez, similarly, has failed to cement a starting spot under Zidane and has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Zidane keen on selling deadwood in the squad to increase his own transfer budget, according to Spanish outlet Marca.

The report details that Zidane has been told by the Madrid hierarchy to source buyers for players not in his plans for next season, before targeting new arrivals over the coming weeks.

For instance, last summer, Zidane sold first-team stars such as Marcos Llorente, Mateo Kovacic and Keylor Navas to the tune of £135m.

That money funded moves for Eden Hazard, Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy, with a similar approach to Madrid's transfer policy and squad management expected this summer.

More to follow...

Related: Paris Saint-Germain Real Madrid Zidane Bale Navas James
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