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LONDON. — Gareth Bale’s future is in turmoil after it emerged the forward is reluctant to risk his relationship with Tottenham fans by handing in a transfer request. Bale has his heart set on a move to Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid and told chairman Daniel Levy he wants to leave during crisis talks in Hong Kong at the Barclays Asia Trophy last weekend.
Now Real sporting director Zinedine Zidane has tried to hurry things along, insisting a move to Madrid is an opportunity that may only come up once in a player’s career.
Bale could accelerate the move with a formal, written transfer request but the £85million target knows it could ruin his relationship with fans at White Hart Lane.
The PFA player of the year and FWA footballer of the year wants them to understand the reasons behind his desire to join the world’s biggest football club.
Spurs have been stunned by the change in Bale (24) since Real stepped up their pursuit of the most wanted man in football last week.
Only last week they were convinced a new, improved contract offer and his “special relationship” with head coach Andre Villas-Boas could keep him at the club.
Now Zidane, sporting director at the Bernabeu, has weighed in.
Speaking in Los Angeles where Real are on pre-season duty, he said: “It is not unusual when a player knows that Real Madrid are interested in them that they get excited. There is nothing more prestigious for a player to wear the white of Real Madrid.
“If he has expressed a desire to join Madrid then Tottenham should give him permission to speak with us. The chance to play for Real Madrid might only come around once in a player’s lifetime — and it is understandable that Gareth doesn’t want to miss out on it.”
He added: “This is modern football — you have to pay to get the best players in Europe. Last season Gareth was on the same level as Ronaldo and Messi. The best players can have not so great games — but change a game with a moment of brilliance. Those are the sort of players that win you Champions League’s and League titles.
“He is already one of the finest player in Europe and he has everything needed to become the best player in the world. It is a bit of a cliche — but it is true you become a better player playing with better players.”
Levy will reluctantly bow to Bale’s desire to leave Tottenham if Real Madrid offer a world record fee — plus a player.
The chairman has maintained throughout the summer that his star asset will not be sold — and he still wants to keep him — but recognises the pursuit is relentless.
Bahamas-based businessman Joe Lewis, who is Tottenham’s largest shareholder, will have the ultimate say if, as expected, Real follow their public interest with a formal offer.
Levy, who flew back from the Far East to London on Sunday to discuss Bale’s future with club officials, will make a series of demands if Real can come up with the cash.
He wants the money up front and there is still a possibility he will demand a Madrid player in addition to a world record fee.
The Spanish giants paid Manchester United £80m straight up when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.
But Real want to structure the Bale deal so that they pay a sizeable chunk up front, and stagger the rest of the fee over the course of his contract.
Portugal defender Fabio Coentrao, who kept Brazilian left back Marcelo out of the team at Real Madrid, and Argentina winger Angel Di Maria are being offered as part of the package.
Bale has been given two days off along with the rest of the Spurs squad after returning from Hong Kong at 5am on Monday.
But the Wales star, who scored 21 goals in the Premier League last season, wants his future resolved this week.
Bale has missed the majority of Tottenham’s pre-season programme with a gluteal injury, but Villas-Boas claims he will be fit to train this week.
He will return to training today as Spurs prepare for their friendly against Claudio Ranieri’s Monaco on Saturday.
Real Madrid are travelling to America this week for the 2013 International Challenge Cup, and time is running out to get the deal done before the start of the season.
Tottenham’s Premier League campaign kicks off at Crystal Palace on August 18 and Madrid will start their campaign against Real Betis on the same weekend.
Real’s pursuit of Bale is so far advanced that they have already concluded background checks on the financial aspects of a deal, notably contractual obligations between Tottenham and Bale’s first club Southampton.
When Spurs signed Bale, they agreed to a 15 per cent sell-on clause. Although that was bought out by Spurs for £1.5m during a financial crisis at St Mary’s in 2007, Fifa solidarity clauses add to the complexity of their proposed bid.
Any club developing homegrown players between the age of 12 and 23 are entitled to up to five per cent of the transfer fee if the player subsequently moves to another team. Because Bale was on Southampton’s books between the ages of 12 and 17, they will be entitled to a mini windfall on a pro-rata basis of around £2m.
Bale is on around £80 000 a week at the moment and if he agrees an improved contract that will burst through their famous pay ceiling, Spurs will justify it because of his commercial importance to the club.
The player is plastered all over promotional material and the club will use that to justify a contract offer in excess of £150 000 a week.
Bale played in Tottenham’s pre-season opener at Swindon and scored in the 1-1 draw but was said to be injured when he missed the draw at Colchester a few days before they left for Hong Kong.
Although many suspect the gluteal injury that kept him on the sidelines was ‘diplomatic’, it is understood the problem is genuine. Bale was frustrated as he travelled halfway around the world with his team and wanted to play in both tune-up games during their stay.
Spurs made an improved bid of £23m for Valencia forward Roberto Soldado over the weekend, with technical director Franco Baldini attempting to clinch the deal. Spurs were offered the 28-year-old for £15m in January but overlooked a player who went on to score 24 goals in La Liga. Soldado, who is rated at £26m, has 11 caps for Spain, scoring six goals.
Meanwhile, Bale’s world-record transfer has been made a family affair after his mum and dad were spotted going into a meeting with Tottenham chairman Levy.
The Wales star is the target of a £95million offer from Real Madrid but Levy has so far refused to sell.
Bale and his representatives met Levy on Monday to underline how much the player wants to leave.
But an onlooker was stunned to see the player’s parents also walk into the meeting. A source of The Sun said: “I couldn’t believe it when the Bales arrived at the training ground. God knows what they said to Mr Levy.”
Spurs supremo Levy interrupted a family holiday in Florida to make sure he was in London for the quickly-arranged meeting.
It has been claimed in Spain that Levy is also set to meet Real Madrid president Florentino Perez early next week in Miami to further discuss a transfer saga that has become increasingly hostile.
Perez is already in the States, where Real are on a pre-season tour.
Real’s reponse to Spurs’ refusal to do business following their first offer has been to put together a package of money plus two players, Angel Di Maria and Fabio Coentrao.
Yet the clubs differ widely in their valuations of the two makeweights.
Sources in Madrid insist Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas rates Coentrao (25) as the more useful as he can play either as a left-back or a winger.
Bale has made it clear he wants to move to Spain.
But Levy was furious when midfielder Luka Modric engineered his own move to the Bernabeu last summer and is annoyed at Real’s heavy-handed bid to land wideman Bale. — Mailonline-The Sun.
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