Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale agreed to join Spurs on a free transfer in the summer ‘months ago’, according to reports in Spain.
Bale has made only three appearances for Real this term, his last coming on August 28, since returning from last season’s loan spell at Tottenham.
The 32-year-old forward, who is in the final year of his Real contract, has actually played more for Wales this season, with his last four appearances on international duty.
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Bale suffered a hamstring injury in September and then picked up a calf complaint after winning his 100th Wales cap against Belarus last month, but he has returned to full training ahead of December’s Madrid derby with Atletico.
Despite his recovery, Carlo Ancelotti has not selected him for any of the 11 matches since Real’s 2-0 derby win over Atletico and his future at the Bernabeu looks bleak.
In fact, Spanish publication Nacional claim that Bale decided to move ages ago and will ‘soon stop causing problems’ at Madrid as he will leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season when his contract expires.
Real will only be too pleased to ‘get rid of his salary’ and the report insists that the Welshman ‘has never managed to adapt to the city and the dressing room, and has made no effort to integrate into Spain’.
Bale will ‘sign one last contract’ and delay his retirement and his ‘next stop will be at Tottenham Hotspur’, where he spent last season on loan.
It is understood that Spurs ‘wanted to retain him’ last summer but that the financial demands from Real Madrid were so great that they decided against a deal.
He was also not ‘to the liking of Nuno Espirito Santo’ but Spurs have now ‘reactivated interest’ in Bale, who is a fan of Antonio Conte.
By not leaving in January, Bale is set to collect a signing bonus and a deal to return to Tottenham has been ‘completely closed for several months’.
The report adds that Bale ‘did not leave in January to continue collecting’ every ‘last penny that Madrid owes him’.
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