By Paul Jones
Gareth Bale and Real Madrid both need to seize the moment to move the Wales captain back to Tottenham Hotspur, according to the Spanish club’s former president Ramon Calderon.
Bale’s representatives are working on a deal to take the striker back to Spurs in a loan deal that could cost his former club £20m.
The 31-year-old swapped the north London club for the Spanish capital in 2013 for £86m, winning four Champions Leagues during a medal-laden stint at the Bernabeu.
But Bale has found himself marginalised under Zinedine Zidane and a return to Spurs could be on the cards.
Manchester United are still reported to be interested in signing Bale but Calderon believes the Spurs option should be grasped now.
“He came here being the MVP from Tottenham, but now the point is to see if he can recover his time as a good player as it’s clear that Zinedine Zidane doesn’t count on him,” Calderon told Sky Sports News.
“It’s the time to end this situation and for me it’s the best moment to do that.
“If it’s Tottenham that he wants to go to, I’m sure he’ll go there. I don’t have a personal knowledge of his intentions or the terms of the deal, but apparently it looks to be Tottenham.
“Sometimes when the salary of the player wanting to leave Real Madrid is very high, we’ve shared part of that salary but I don’t know if that’s going to be the case now.”
“He has two years left on his contract so if he leaves this season, I feel he would stay at the new club for the rest of his career. He has three or four more years at a good level, so if he goes to Tottenham maybe he will finish his career there.”
Madrid are reportedly willing to subside a large chunk of Bale’s lofty wages seven years on from making him the world’s most expensive player in a 100million euros deal, which then worked out at £85.3million.
Bale endured his worst season at the Spanish club in 2019-20 with only three goals in all competitions and admitted earlier this month that he would consider a return to the Premier League if Real allow him to end his stint in Spain.
He has a contract until 2022 and was set to make a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League last year before the transfer was scuppered when Real made a last-minute decision to insist on a transfer fee rather than terminate his contract.
Bale has divided opinion among the club’s fan base, with some supporters frustrated by a perceived lack of commitment.
He did not feature in their final seven league matches as they pipped Barcelona to the Liga title while he watched on from the bench.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho had said before their season-opening 1-0 defeat by Everton on Sunday that he wanted the club to sign a striker before the transfer window closes on Oct. 5.
Spurs, who finished sixth last season, signed midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and right back Matt Doherty while goalkeeper Joe Hart was recruited as a free agent in the close season.
Bale may not be the only player leaving Real Madrid for Tottenham, with left-back Sergio Reguilon believed to be closing in on a move to Jose Mourinho’s side.
🗞[@MailSport] | Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is now personally confident that he can complete the signing of Gareth Bale.
🙌 The Welshman would become the highest-paid player at the club despite Madrid contributing to his wages.#THFC #COYSpic.twitter.com/sjCAF20ysy
— Last Word On Spurs🎙 (@LastWordOnSpurs) September 16, 2020
The Spain international shone on loan at Sevilla last season and has been monitored by Manchester United, although the Old Trafford club have been unwilling to agree to a buyback clause.
Bale was another option under consideration by United should their well-documented move for Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho fail.
The 31-year-old returning to Tottenham would be a welcome move for the out-of-favour forward, who spoke about his future earlier this month.
Bale, who almost joined Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning on a £1million a week three-year deal in 2019, told Sky Sports: “I think the club needs to answer that question because I tried to leave last year. They blocked everything at the last second.
“It was a project I was excited for last year but it didn’t materialise.
“There’s been other instances where we’ve tried to go but the club won’t allow it, or (have) done something. So it’s on the club, I can’t really do anything. I have a contract.”
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