Gareth Bale can “help fill the void” left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from Real Madrid, says the Spanish side’s new coach Julen Lopetegui, BBC Sport reports.
Wales forward Bale had been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu after failing to hold down a regular first-team spot under previous coach Zinedine Zidane last season.
But Ronaldo’s £99m switch to Juventus means Bale is back in favour.
“Gareth is happy to play at Real Madrid,” Lopetegui said.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the main players in the recent history of Real Madrid. He expressed a desire to leave and we allowed him to.
“Gareth Bale is a magnificent player, with so many qualities. He can help fill the void.”
The 29-year-old joined Real Madrid for £87m in 2013 and has since won the Champions League four times, scoring twice in the 3-1 final victory over Liverpool in May.
Lopetegui said Bale had “worked extremely well” with France forward Karim Benzema in training, adding, “If this is the squad I have at start of season I will be a happy man.”
Speaking at a news conference before Real play Manchester United in the International Champions Cup friendly series in Miami on Wednesday, he dismissed talk of a possible move to the Premier League club for Bale.
“I don’t walk to talk about hypothetical situations,” said the former Spain boss.
“Gareth is happy to play at Real Madrid. This is a fantastic opportunity for him to show his talent. He is with the team. He is happy and aligned with our goals. It is the start of an exciting path for us.”
Meanwhile, Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini admits he assumed a deal to bring Ronaldo to Turin from Real Madrid was “impossible”, according to Skysports.
There were early reports Ronaldo was keen on a move to the Serie A champions after he cast doubt over his Real future in the immediate aftermath of their Champions League final win over Liverpool in May.
Chiellini was not optimistic a deal for Ronaldo, who trained with his new team-mates in Turin for the first time on Tuesday, would be completed, but believes he will transform the title-winning side.
“(The first time I heard about Ronaldo), I said to my friends, ‘Nah, it’s impossible,’” Chiellini told ESPN in an exclusive interview ahead of Wednesday’s MLS All-Star game. “After one day, (I thought) maybe it is possible.
“With our manager, with our director … it’s a reality. Juventus is growing … year after year, and we need a champion like Cristiano.
“We are excited, we are ready to work with him; all the parts of the club, the players, the marketing manager, the director, are ready to improve with Cristiano and we hope he can help us to achieve our target.”
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