Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League • England

Tottenham insiders reveal Gareth Bale stance, as Real Madrid star looks to move on

Gareth Bale Real Madrid February 2022

Gareth Bale will not be returning to Tottenham this summer for one final hurrah, according to sources “from within Spurs”.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed the Wales attacker will leave the Bernabeu this summer when his contract expires. The 32-year-old will bring the curtain down on a tumultuous nine years in Spain after arriving from Spurs in 2013 for €100.8m.

As pointed out by Ancelotti though, Bale helped Los Blancos win the Champions League and “deserves” a good send off.

“Bale has not disrespected his teammates, he trains well, he is professional,” Ancelotti said earlier this week. “He wants to finish here as he deserves.

“Because he has helped win the Champions League, he has done important things. And I think that finishing here well would be good for his career.

“So I talk to Bale and try to listen to the problems he has like I do with everyone. My personal relationship with the players is good.”

Just where Bale will go next remains unclear, despite suggestions a return to Spurs was on.

He was loaned back to Spurs for the whole of last season. But no permanent move materialised after the loan spell. Bale has been back in Spain ever since.

Reunited with Ancelotti, Bale made three appearances in August before a range of injury issues since. He did though start against Villarreal at the weekend, with the Italian boss good to his word.

According to El Nacional an agreement is in place, and has been for a few months, for Bale to return to Tottenham.

Tuttomercatoweb also claimed Bale had penned a “pre-contract agreement” which would come into effect in the summer.

Gareth Bale signs pre contract agreement with Spurs as Real Madrid exit looms

Gareth Bale signs pre contract agreement with Spurs as Real Madrid exit looms

Gareth Bale could return to Tottenham as a free agent when his Real Madrid contract ends this summer

 

That though appears to be wide of the mark, with football.london’s Alastair Gold saying sources have relayed that “there’s no truth in it”.

Asked if there was anything in the Bale rumours, Gold said: “There’s different ways to look at this. Various people within Spurs have shut down those Bale stories from Spain pretty quickly, saying there’s absolutely no truth in it.


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Bale wages 

“The flip side is if I’m thinking from a cynical marketing perspective, Tottenham would surely consider bringing him back for one last hurrah of a season in front of a Tottenham Hotspur Stadium packed with crowds.

 

“However, from a football perspective it makes little sense as trying to shoehorn the Welshman, who will be 33 then, into Conte’s demanding, high energy system.”

The report also highlighted that Bale’s wages, after being released would also be an issue for Daniel Levy.

“I just wonder whether it would be similar to the Mourinho and Bale experiment. And the winger’s even higher wages than last season as a free agent would be problematic if he’s not a regular starter either through Conte’s wishes or injuries.

“Bale would certainly bring the experience and winning mentality Conte needs in this Spurs team. But I’m not sure how well he would suit a system with wing-backs,” added Gold.

READ MORE: Fabio Paratici ready to shop smart with three free agents all confirmed as Tottenham targets