It began on a midsummer day as Real Madrid opened a summer parade of departures. Gareth Bale, Isco, and Marcelo—though they wrote chapters in the club’s history—are slipping out through the back door. The one farewell the club plans with ceremonies is aimed at the Brazilian who previously earned a similar send-off to Sergio Ramos when he left for Paris last season. It is notable that neither Brazilian wanted to leave the club then, and once again Florentino Perez tightens his solvent grip, depleting the golden cage that once defined the dressing room at the Santiago Bernabéu.
56 titles and 56 million
Counting Marcelo at 25, Bale at 16, and Isco at 15, Real Madrid tallies 56 trophies. Coincidentally, that is also the total of salaries paid to the trio last season: 31 million to Bale, 15 to the Brazilian, and 12.7 million to the Malaga-born playmaker.
Even as fixture in the club’s wage bill aristocracy, the trio had long drifted from the core of the squad. Bale had delivered a radiant early arc with key contributions in major campaigns and in moments where Madrid lifted the big prizes. Yet he later pursued a quieter life away from the limelight, often seen waving a banner that read Wales while the club’s flag persisted in the background. An expectation that has been carefully observed in recent years. The English forward has not played a single league match for Madrid since early in 2002, a stretch explained by his preference to chase league football with another team in the current playoff era of world football’s rhythm.
THANKS, @GARETHBALE11. pic.twitter.com/LmTZMlqBBH
– Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid) the memory of the moment
Zidane finally grew tired of the stalemate and Ancelotti attempted to rally Bale to the cause. Both paths led to the same result: fading influence. The past season Bale focused more on golf than on a chapter of triumph with the club. After nearly a decade, Bale left the locker room labeled as a friendly but slightly aloof figure, departing with a farewell letter written in English that hinted at a lack of cohesion with the squad.
Isco’s situation tells a different story. In the club’s early years he arrived as a rising star at Bernabéu in 2012, acclaimed as Europe’s best youngster and crowned the Tuttosport golden boy. He was expected to lead Madrid and boost the national team. But his perceived laziness, erratic football moments, sporadic fitness issues, and mood problems undermined patience. Zidane pressed Florentino to move him on. The president’s inner circle always favored Isco, but events ultimately confirmed doubts about the Malaga-born talent.
THANKS, @isco_alarcon. pic.twitter.com/jEYuVUt52F
– Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid)
Madrid also explored a transfer deal involving Eden Hazard as a means to balance costs, while Chelsea showed willingness to move him. Milan emerged as a possible loan destination, but Barca’s strategy under a new plan to reshape the squad resonated differently with the market. The path forward remained uncertain, with Jorge Mendes stepping in as manager for this broader market reshaping, leaving open whether the player would pack his bags or stay and fight for a place.
Marcelo’s exit, meanwhile, highlights a player who combined high defensive capability with explosive offensive talent. He stayed to honor a long contract and chase a personal record of titles. The winger arrived in Madrid fifteen seasons ago, transforming the club’s expectations and lifting his tally to a then-record 25 trophies. He stands as one of the three to depart through the Bernabéu doors in this cycle.
Hazard, Jovic and Mariano
With these departures, club offices are intensively working to trim wage bills. Hazard, Jovic, and Mariano are the focus of this effort. Three players with hefty salaries and limited impact on the pitch present a fiduciary challenge: 22.9 million, 9.1 million, and 6.3 million respectively. The market still tempted by Madrid’s glamorous brand makes attracting offers tricky, and the club’s golden cage continues to lure players who lack viable bids.
It began on a midsummer day as Real Madrid opened a summer parade of departures. Gareth Bale, Isco, and Marcelo—though they wrote chapters in the club’s history—are slipping out through the back door. The one farewell the club plans with ceremonies is aimed at the Brazilian who previously earned a similar send-off to Sergio Ramos when he left for Paris last season. It is notable that neither Brazilian wanted to leave the club then, and once again Florentino Perez tightens his solvent grip, depleting the golden cage that once defined the dressing room at the Santiago Bernabéu.
56 titles and 56 million
Counting Marcelo at 25, Bale at 16, and Isco at 15, Real Madrid tallies 56 trophies. Coincidentally, that is also the total of salaries paid to the trio last season: 31 million to Bale, 15 to the Brazilian, and 12.7 million to the Malaga-born playmaker.
Even as fixture in the club’s wage bill aristocracy, the trio had long drifted from the core of the squad. Bale had delivered a radiant early arc with key contributions in major campaigns and in moments where Madrid lifted the big prizes. Yet he later pursued a quieter life away from the limelight, often seen waving a banner that read Wales while the club’s flag persisted in the background. An expectation that has been carefully observed in recent years. The English forward has not played a single league match for Madrid since early in 2002, a stretch explained by his preference to chase league football with another team in the current playoff era of world football’s rhythm.
THANKS, @GARETHBALE11. pic.twitter.com/LmTZMlqBBH
– Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid)
Zidane finally grew tired of the stalemate and Ancelotti attempted to rally Bale to the cause. Both paths led to the same result: fading influence. The past season Bale focused more on golf than on a chapter of triumph with the club. After nearly a decade, Bale left the locker room labeled as a friendly but slightly aloof figure, departing with a farewell letter written in English that hinted at a lack of cohesion with the squad.
Isco’s situation tells a different story. In the club’s early years he arrived as a rising star at Bernabéu in 2012, acclaimed as Europe’s best youngster and crowned the Tuttosport golden boy. He was expected to lead Madrid and boost the national team. But his perceived laziness, erratic football moments, sporadic fitness issues, and mood problems undermined patience. Zidane pressed Florentino to move him on. The president’s inner circle always favored Isco, but events ultimately confirmed doubts about the Malaga-born talent.
THANKS, @isco_alarcon. pic.twitter.com/jEYuVUt52F
– Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid)
Madrid also explored a transfer deal involving Eden Hazard as a means to balance costs, while Chelsea showed willingness to move him. Milan emerged as a possible loan destination, but Barca’s strategy under a new plan to reshape the squad resonated differently with the market. The path forward remained uncertain, with Jorge Mendes stepping in as manager for this broader market reshaping, leaving open whether the player would pack his bags or stay and fight for a place.
Marcelo’s exit, meanwhile, highlights a player who combined high defensive capability with explosive offensive talent. He stayed to honor a long contract and chase a personal record of titles. The winger arrived in Madrid fifteen seasons ago, transforming the club’s expectations and lifting his tally to a then-record 25 trophies. He stands as one of the three to depart through the Bernabéu doors in this cycle.
Hazard, Jovic and Mariano
With these departures, club offices are intensively working to trim wage bills. Hazard, Jovic, and Mariano are the focus of this effort. Three players with hefty salaries and limited impact on the pitch present a fiduciary challenge: 22.9 million, 9.1 million, and 6.3 million respectively. The market still tempted by Madrid’s glamorous brand makes attracting offers tricky, and the club’s golden cage continues to lure players who lack viable bids.