The chances of Gareth Bale’s stalled move to China being revived look over after Jiangsu Suning announced they have signed Croatian striker Ivan Santini. Bale was reported to be close to moving to the Chinese Super League club, but the deal collapsed over the weekend. Some reports in Spain claimed Real Madrid could not agree a fee with the Chinese club, while others suggested Bale himself rejected the supposed £1 million-a-week contract for family reasons.

Gareth Bale will put Chinese football on a new level if he decides to take up the reported £1m-a-week deal from Jiangsu Suning – although he could also end up playing in Italy for Inter Milan. Reports in Spain on Friday night said the Wales star was in advanced talks to leave Real Madrid for around £50m after six years and head for the Far East and the Chinese Super League. Real manager Zinedine Zidane said last weekend he thought it would be “best for everyone” if Bale’s departure could be arranged quickly — comments Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett branded “disrespectful” of a player who has helped his club to a Spanish league title and four Champions Leagues since arriving from Tottenham six years ago.

Sam Vokes insists Wales can recover from back-to-back defeats to still qualify for the finals of Euro 2020. The nation’s hopes of making it to next summer’s finals through a top-two spot in Group E suffered a severe setback with a 1-0 defeat to Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday night. It was Wales’ second defeat in the space of four days after a 2-1 loss to Croatia on Saturday.

Ryan Giggs has admitted Wales now need perfection in order to realise their Euro 2020 qualification ambitions. The Wales manager was brutally frank after seeing his side suffer a damaging defeat as Group E leaders Hungary beat them 1-0 in Budapest. It leaves Wales with just three points from their opening three games and already six points behind the Hungarians who top the group.

Ryan Giggs insisted he made the right call to leave David Brooks on the bench despite the impact he made as a substitute during Wales’ 2-1 defeat to Croatia. Brooks came on and sparked a Wales revival with his first goal for his country but it was not enough as Giggs’ side failed to take late chances in Osijek. It meant a first defeat of the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign for Wales who now face Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday.

Croatia captain Luka Modric says Gareth Bale’s problems at Real Madrid will not affect him while on Euro 2020 duty for Wales. Bale comes up against his Real team-mate and great friend Modric in Osijek on Saturday, having suffered a nightmare end to the season at the Bernabeu. The Welshman was dropped from the starting XI, and boss Zinedine Zidane even refused to bring him off the bench in the final LaLiga game when Los Blancos were losing 2-0 at home to Real Betis.

Will Vaulks was once paid 33p a week – but now trains alongside £86million man Gareth Bale who earns a reputed £350,000 a week. The Rotherham midfielder, who is being linked with a move to Cardiff City, was paid pennies at Falkirk as he tried to rebuild his career after being released by Tranmere. Vaulks survived thanks to his parents helping him out financially and the sacrifice has paid off as he prepares alongside Bale for Wales’ Euro 2020 qualifier against World Cup finalists Croatia.

Ryan Giggs insists it matters little to him – or Wales – if Gareth Bale’s Spanish adventure ends this summer and he returns to the Premier League. The future of Wales’ biggest star, and still their most important player, is unclear after his season ended in rejection at Real Madrid. But as Giggs named Bale in his squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Croatia and Hungary on June 8 and 11, the manager stressed that the uncertainty over his talisman will not affect the team’s campaign.

Aaron Ramsey has not recovered to make the Wales squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Croatia and Hungary – but Ethan Ampadu has been included. Both players were expected to be missing when Ryan Giggs named his group for the double header away trip, but Ampadu is in a 28-man squad despite a recent back injury.

Zinedine Zidane had admitted that Gareth Bale does not fit in with his current Real Madrid side as speculation grows the Wales skipper’s time at the Bernabeu is up. The club’s world recored £85million buy was an unused sub as a nightmare season ended with a 2-0 home defeat to Real Betis.

Ben Davies will become only the sixth Welshman to play in a European Cup final thanks to Tottenham’s incredible Champions League comeback win over Ajax. The Wales defender – who came on to the field in Amsterdam in the 82nd minute on Wednesday night – was part of the Spurs team that earned an incredible 3-2 victory to draw the tie 3-3 on aggregate and go through to the final on away goals. Spurs were level at 2-2 when Davies came on, but their epic comeback from 2-0 down on the night, and 3-0 overall, was sealed when Lucas Moura clinched his hat-trick in the 96th minute of an astonishing semi-final.

Golden oldie Gareth Bale has vowed to help polish the new gems as Wales aim to sparkle again in the European Championships. Almost three years after being the jewel in the crown for Chris Coleman’s team at Euro 2016, Bale is still the most precious piece in the new line-up under Ryan Giggs. But as Wales prepare to take on Slovakia tonight in their opening qualifier for Euro 2020, the Real Madrid star – not yet even 30 – is the self-confessed “oldie” compared to the new crops of youngsters who will provide vital support.