Spanish giants chase White Hart Lane star.
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Real Madrid and Barcelona are preparing to do battle over the future of Gareth Bale, with both clubs holding exploratory discussions with the player’s representatives over a switch from Tottenham Hotspur to Spanish football. A summer bid by either club would trigger a counteroffer from their great domestic rival.
Barcelona have expressed their intention to more than double Bale’s current salary by paying him €7 million (Dh34.2m) a season at Camp Nou.
Real say they will go higher still, offering €9m per annum if the Wales international chooses them, an option his advisers are thought to be leaning towards.
The Spanish and European champions’ interest in Bale stems from concerns that their playing tactics have developed a degree of predictability. Dani Alves, nominally a right-back, pushes up the field to provide the team with a width that is usually absent on the opposite side.
Adding Bale to the squad, calculates Pep Guardiola, would allow his team to attack from either full-back berth, or both, in any match.
He also intends to use Bale from a starting position on the left side of his attack.
Harry Redknapp, Tottenham’s manager, and Daniel Levy, their chairman, have compared Bale’s value to Cristiano Ronaldo, who ultimately left Manchester United for £80m (Dh464.8m) when he joined Real in 2009.
SOURCE: The National
Having fought off Chelsea interest in Luka Modric it appears that Tottenham may well find themselves at the centre of another fight to keep hold of one of their prized assets. White Hart Lane chairman Daniel Levy knows that it may prove hard to prevent Gareth Bale from being tempted by a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid, despite the great season the North London club have had, therefore placing a £80m price tag on the 22 year old makes a great deal of sense.
What happens if that valuation is met?
Some may baulk at an £80m fee for the talented winger but there is no doubting the amazing ability the former Southampton man possesses and given his age his potential is plain for all to see. Over the past two seasons Bale has consistently performed at the highest level, particularly impressing in Champions League action last term.
In Premier League action Gareth Bale has been incredibly effective, scoring 16 goals in his last 52 appearances and providing 15 assists and it does appear that Barcelona and Real Madrid interest in the Tottenham man could well be very real indeed.
The fear may be that if a huge offer was accepted for Bale then the likes of Luka Modric, Rafael Van der Vaart, Sandro and Aaron Lennon may consider the club’s ambition and any sale could spark a mass exodus. Indeed if Harry Redknapp leaves to take over at the England helm things could similarly become unstable at White Hart Lane.
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