Tottenham Hotspur has shut down summer transfer links to Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale according to reports.
According to Alasdair Gold, the club’s correspondent for Football.London, Tottenham Hotspur have firmly shut down recent links to Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale regarding a potential reunion next summer.
Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 for a world record fees of £86M and quickly formed a deadly trio with Ronaldo and Benzema known as BBC as they propelled Real Madrid to the unthinkable Champions League 3-peats.
(Getty Images)Gareth Bale has won two La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey and four Champions League crowns in nine years at the Bernabeu and will be renowned for his sublime Copa del Rey goal vs Barcelona.
Gareth Bale out runs Marc Bartra
Gareth Bale scores his team’s second goal past Jose Manuel Pinto
Bale celebrates (Getty Images)
Despite all these, the Welsh international has struggled to adapt to the city and the dressing room, and has often been the target of criticism from Spanish press
with less than six months left in his current deal, Bale is set to leave the club on a free transfer.
Ancelotti On Gareth Bale
The 32 years old made his first Real appearance of the season since August on Saturday in the goalless draw at Villarreal before coming as a substitute in 1-0 defeat against PSG in Champions League R16.
“Now he’s feeling good, and he wants to end his time here as he deserves, because Bale has brought many titles to this club.
“He helped the club to win the Champions League and Copa Del Rey titles, so I think that ending his time here on a high would be good for his career.
“I speak with him just like I try and speak with everyone else, trying to get the best out of them, listen to their problems, and that’s it.
The personal relationship with him and the other players is good, I can’t blame him for anything.”
“As long as a player is serious, professional and respects the rules and the people he works with, personal relationship will be good.
He’s always done that and never failed. Then, Gareth has had injuries which didn’t allow him [to play].”
Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that the forward would be leaving them for free at the end of this campaign with Spurs touted as his next destination, however, Tottenham have kicked against the third time reunion of their former superstar
Good or Bad decision?
Gareth Bale has been sidelined by injuries throughout this season featuring just only five times in all competitions.
Gareth Bale with Tottenham Hotspur last goal of the season. (Getty Images)
The 32-year-old did enjoy a great loan spell with Tottenham last campaign scoring 16 goals alongside three assists in 34 matches across all competitions..
However, Bale turns 33 in July, and it makes little sense trying to accommodate the Welshman into Conte’s demanding, high energy system.
Bale would certainly bring the experience and winning mentality Conte needs in this Spurs team but his defensive frailty calls for major concern as he has seen struggled to get back and defend, which was a difficultly under Mourinho and also in Real Madrid and also his astronomical wages is another major setback.
While the ideas of bringing Gareth Bale in front of a Tottenham Hotspur Stadium packed with crowds looks enticing,
Billboard showing Gareth Bale in Times Square on August 1, 2013 in New York City. (Getty Images)
however the signing offers imbalance on Conte’s rebuild system which seems like a good decision to halt the plans of bringing him back.
What next for Bale?
Last month, Sky Sports News reported Bale is considering ending his playing career this summer if Wales fail to qualify for this year’s World Cup, but might consider joining a Championship club if he helps his country make the tournament in Qatar on a short loan in order be fit for the tournament.
Wales face a play-off against Austria in Cardiff in March and, if they win, they will then face a showdown against either Scotland or Ukraine for a place in the finals.
Wales have not qualified for the World Cup since 1958 and Bale is keen to represent his country at the tournament before the end of his career.
But if Wales fail at the play-off stage, retirement could be on the cards.
However, if Wales do reach their first World Cup in 64 years, it is believed Bale, who turns 33 in July, could consider joining Cardiff or Swansea where he can get more minutes on the pitch instead of staying on the bench at N17.
Anyhow it ends, Bale has achieved everything he wanted in club game, and his name cannot be erased in the history book.