Gareth Bale has talked down speculation of a shock move to LaLiga side Getafe, as he revealed he plans to make a decision over his future after taking a holiday this summer.
The former Real Madrid star is currently away on international duty with Wales, and plans to take a break following their Nations League games with Belgium on Saturday and then the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Bale, who helped inspire Wales to their first World Cup qualification for the first time in 64 years, has been linked with a move to Getafe who finished 15th in LaLiga.
Speaking in a press conference ahead of Wales’ clash with Belgium, Bale said: ‘I’m not going to Getafe that’s for sure.’
He added: ‘I just want to be playing going into the World Cup to be as fit as I can.
‘I think I heard the manager saying ideally he wants everybody to be playing, and everybody wants to be playing.
‘Hopefully, I can enjoy my holiday and then decide where I want to be and what I want to do to try and play games to be as fit as I can for the World Cup. Once I get back into playing regular football, my body will get more robust and a bit better.
‘It’s very difficult when you’re in and out of a team to get a rhythm in terms of your fitness and health.
‘Any player will tell you, playing week-in week-out, your body becomes more robust, you get used to it and you get fitter by doing that. I just need to play games and I’ll be good to go.
‘I guess whoever I go to it’ll be a win-win because hopefully, I’ll be playing well and getting myself ready. Once these internationals are over, I’ll have plenty of time to go on holiday and decide my future then.’
Wales qualified for the World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 victory over Ukraine last week.
Bale is looking for a new club after his nine-year stint at Real Madrid came to an end as his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expired.
Wales manager Rob Page said last week that it’s important Bale plays week in, week out, after playing just seven games last season.
‘That is going to be his difficulty, finding someone that will manage him,’ Page said.
‘He has to take that responsibility himself and that will determine whether he plays a lot of football because if he’s not able to train like that through the week the manager at the respective club might not want to select him on the weekend. He understands what he needs to do.
‘Gareth’s problems in the past have been when he’s not been playing week in, week out, and for the Belarus game he came into camp undercooked and ended up getting a little tweak in his calf, so he understands he needs to play.
‘It is up to him and his family to decide on where is best for him to get in the right frame of mind for November, it’s going to be as simple as that, and it might even be as short-term as that.’