Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to drop Gareth Bale to their Under-23 squad next season.

Bale has been heavily linked with an exit from the Bernabeu over the past six months, and speculation has only intensified since the return of Zinedine Zidane.

The Wales international was dropped from the first-team squad to face Villarreal last weekend, although Zidane remained coy over his reasons for excluding the attacker.

Bale is allegedly refusing to leave Real during the next transfer window, but The Sun suggests that Zidane will demote the 29-year-old to the reserves if he does not find a new club.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man - who has been linked with a switch to Manchester United - still has three years left on his contract with Real.