Rea8k8 slotl Madrid cancel Gareth Bale's transfer to China

British soccer superstar Gareth Bale's mooted transfer to Chinese side Jiangsu Suning has been cancelled, after the player's current club Real Madrid reportedly called off the mega-money move.

Over the weekend Bale looked set to become arguably the most high-profile foreign player to move to China, but issues over money and timing are believed to have stalled the deal.

Jiangsu Suning was reportedly reluctant to offer in excess of $60 million for the player, meaning Real Madrid would have suffered a heavy loss on the world-record 100.8 million-euro ($112.1 million) fee the club paid for Bale in 2013. The rapidly narrowing Chinese Super League transfer window, which closes on Wednesday, is also thought to have been an issue.

On Monday morning, Jiangsu Suning announced the purchase of Croatian striker Ivan Santini from Dutch club Anderlecht, pouring cold water on any chance of a resurrection of the Bale deal. The signing means the club has now registered six foreign players over the course of the season, which is the limit under Chinese Super League, or CSL, regulations.

Several clubs in Europe are thought to have expressed interest in Bale, but his high wage bill has been a sticking point, with few teams on the continent willing to equal or better his 600,000 pound ($739,000) weekly salary. Jiangsu Suning emerged as a front-runner to secure the Welshman's services last week and was reportedly prepared to offer him a staggering 1 million pound-weekly wage, before the deal fell apart.

Viewed as one of the best attacking players of his generation, 30-year-old Bale would have been a massive attraction in the CSL. In the past the league acted as a destination for international players in the twilight of their careers, though in recent years several foreign footballers in their prime have made the move to the CSL, including 27-year-old Brazilian midfielder Oscar, who transferred to Shanghai SIPG from Chelsea in 2016.

Several decorated foreign managers have also opted for moves to the CSL, including ex-Liverpool and Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez, who has overseen four wins, one draw and one loss since joining CSL side Dalian Yifang in early July.

Bale has accrued an impressive collection of honors since moving to Spain from English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur six years ago, including four Champions League medals, a La Liga title, and a Copa Del Rey medal. Bale has scored three times from open play in Champions League finals for Real Madrid, including two strikes in the 2018 tournament final that helped secure a record 13th title in the competition for the Spanish club.

But the player has suffered several injuries and missed more than 100 games during the last six years. Bale has also been forced to play out of his favored position due to the club's preferred formation and the presence of prodigious Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Madrid throughout Bale's tenure before moving to Juventus last season.

Despite the crucial role Bale has played in securing trophies for the club, he has struggled to win over fans, who have grown frustrated with his injuries and perceived slow progress in assimilating to Spanish culture. Bale has also fallen out of favor with Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, who said this month that it will be "best for everyone" if the player leaves the club.

"The club is looking to sell him," Zidane said two weeks ago. "I hope it's done soon, for his sake too. We are talking with another club where he could play and that's the situation we are in right now."