Gareth Bale’s time as a Real Madrid player could soon be coming to an end.

In recent weeks, the Welshman has appeared to be heading for an upturn in form after so nearly leaving the club in the summer.

But as has been typical of Zinedine Zidane since his return to the Santiago Bernabeu, the Frenchman dealt another inexplicable blow to the player’s future at the club.

Bale was left out of the Champions League squad that faced Club Brugge last week, which has seemingly pushed his relationship with Zidane to its breaking point.

According to Guillem Balague, that action is “the last straw” in a saga that has finally broken the 30-year-old winger.

“Gareth Bale is fed up,” Balague said, per BBC Sport.

“He can do this no longer. At a time when he began to stand out, knowing that as he plays matches his fitness would be sharpened, he suddenly had to watch the game against Bruges in the stands. Nobody knows why.

“He is angry, confused. When Zidane returned to the club, he decided he did not want Bale, without anyone having offered a clear reasoning.

“Bale was told that Zidane, with whom he has a professional relationship, had made an unequivocal decision and was preparing for his departure.

“His agent, Jonathan Barnett, set out to find him alternative options, but Bale preferred - ahead of any other possibility - to remain at the club.

“What the Welshman does not quite understand is why the doors were opened, and then they did not let him go.

“Madrid agreed not to charge a transfer fee to the Chinese side Jiangsu Suning, but ultimately they backed down because they believed that another Chinese team were willing to pay a large amount for James Rodriguez, a rumour that ended up being false.”

It’s a situation that’s difficult to comprehend, and Bale deserves credit for marching on and scoring twice in seven matches this season.

However, for the first time since he joined in 2013, the former Tottenham star is convinced he must leave Madrid.

“Bale has played well in recent weeks - partly because he is angry - in response to the distance and coldness with which the coach treats him, and he has finally rebelled at his situation.

“It is said that he likes golf more than football, and it is true that he does not live the profession with the intensity of others, either on or off the pitch.

“He only asks for minutes to be able to give his best and to be able to offer goals to the team, something they lack.”

If Zidane truly does think his squad is better off without Bale, it seems he’s finally got his wish.