adminLONDON. — Gareth Bale’s frustration with Tottenham Hotspur is threatening to boil over after Andre Villas-Boas revealed he is unlikely to play again this month as the stand-off intensifies. Bale remains in a state of turmoil and is growing increasingly exasperated with the refusal of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to sanction a world-record move to Real Madrid.
Though the Spurs manager has claimed Bale is struggling with a foot injury, sources have claimed that the 24-year-old is fully fit and is reluctant to play in fear of risking a possible move to Real before the transfer window closes.
Bale has also reiterated that he has no intention of discussing a new contract and is hopeful that Levy will back down from his hardline stance and allow him to move.
Levy is demanding a fee in excess of the world transfer record of £80 million Real paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo four years ago, and talks between the two clubs have not progressed over the past week.
Despite two sets of negotiations between Levy and Real President Florentino Pérez, Spurs are determined to hold out for the best possible deal amid suspicions that the Spanish giants do not have the funds to complete it.
Villas-Boas is now enduring the silent treatment from his prized asset and the relationship between Bale and the club he has served for six years is becoming ever more fractious.
Villas-Boas has emphasised Bale’s immense importance to the club by comparing him to the influence of the best two players in the world, Lionel Messi and Ronaldo, but the situation is becoming more acrimonious after he revealed the impasse between player and club.
“His mental state nobody knows because the player doesn’t speak,” said Villas-Boas. “The only thing that we are able to see or you [media] are able to see is the player arriving in and out of the training ground.
“We are aware that Real Madrid are interested in the player. It doesn’t mean that we are willing to negotiate on him. Our idea is to count on Gareth.
“Speculation has arisen with the player because of the quality that he has and the season he had last season, the amazing moments of individual brilliance. Ideally, we’d like the player to continue belonging to Tottenham.
“We can speak to the players regarding their ambitions and we can explain to them that at certain stages players are under contract and have the responsibility towards their clubs and we as club, or the chairman as the person who controls the club, has to defend their own interest.
“You take [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo out of Barcelona and Real Madrid, you see how many points they have.”
Bale has not played for Spurs since the friendly against Swindon Town last month but joined up with Wales for international duty this week, taking part in a short training session on his own.
He refused to answer questions about his future and has thus far declined to publicly give any hint of his intentions, though he has repeatedly told Spurs that he is desperate to move on. — The Telegraph.
Online Reporter