Bale keen for Ronaldo to stay at Real

​Gareth Bale has urged team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo not to leave Real Madrid amid rumours of a return to the Premier League.

Ronaldo’s value to the UEFA Champions League holders has been evident in recent times, with the Portugal forward carrying his incredible goalscoring form from last season into new campaign.

The 29-year-old netted his 22nd La Liga hat-trick and third treble of the season in last Sunday’s 5-0 win over Athletic Bilbao to take his tally for the new term to 17.

But speculation of a move back to Manchester United, who he left to join Real in 2009, has been rife, while Manchester City have also been linked with a sensational swoop for the former Sporting Libson man.

Yet Bale, whose arrival in the Spanish capital last season and subsequent prolific partnership with Ronaldo was key to Real’s return to European supremacy, is understandably keen for the Madeira-born star to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“He’s shown what a world-class player he is year after year scoring the goals,” Bale said.

“Obviously he’s a player we wouldn’t want to see leave. Of course [I] want to see him stay at Real Madrid.”

Bale also rubbished any talk of him moving to pastures new, despite a poll in Madrid newspaper Marca revealing that 60 per cent of Real fans want the Wales international to be dropped.

He added: “I signed a six-year deal last year so I don’t really think so.”