Gareth Bale left out of Real Madrid squad amid Tottenham Hotspur speculation

Gareth Bale has been left out of the Real Madrid squad for Saturday's derby with Atletico Madrid amid speculation that he could rejoin Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day.

Reports earlier today suggested that Spurs had made a significant breakthrough in discussions over a possible return for Bale, who left the club to join Madrid for a then-world record fee of £85m in 2013.

Zinedine Zidane was quick to rubbish those rumours, though, while Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett has also described the speculation as "crap".

However, the future of the 30-year-old has once again been thrust into the spotlight by his absence from the squad for Saturday's derby despite no reports of an injury.

Bale has made only nine La Liga starts for Madrid so far this season, scoring two goals for Zidane's league-leading side.

The injured Eden Hazard is another notable absentee from Los Blancos' squad for Saturday's match.

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