Gareth Bale is NOT worth £86m - Zidane

Zinedine Zidane says it is ‘incomprehensible’ that Real Madrid paid Tottenham Hotspur £86million to sign Gareth Bale as no player is worth that amount of money.

Bale, 24, joined the Spanish club on transfer deadline day, September 1 for a world record fee after months of speculation.

Zidane, who is now Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant coach at Real, joined the nine-time European champions in 2001 for a then record fee of £63m.

He was instrumental in luring the Wales international to Real, making repeated statements to Madrid newspaper Marca that the 24-year-old from Cardiff should join Madrid.

But now Zidane says he cannot comprehend the money involved in Bale’s move.
when asked if Bale was worth the astronomical price, Zidane, a former holder of the world record fee himself, said only time will tell.

"You need to ask that question in a year's time," he told Canal Plus. "Ten years ago, they bought me for €75 million [£63m] and I said I wasn't worth it.

"Today, I tend to say a player is not worth that. Two clubs agree on a price and no-one is forcing the other to do anything. That's football. Unfortunately, it's incomprehensible with what's happening today to pay so much.

"My role will certainly be to tell him that he plays as he knows how to, to not put too much pressure on himself. He has an incredible potential but he still has room for improvement."