Could Tottenham Persuade Gareth Bale To Stay At White Hart Lane?

Within days, perhaps even hours, this article could make me look very very foolish – when Gareth Bale’s transfer to Real Madrid is finally confirmed. With Bale’s non-appearance at training yesterday, it has got that bit more difficult but in the meantime, I consider, is it possible that Tottenham could persuade Gareth to remain at White Hart Lane?

Gareth Bale [Jav The_DoC_66]

At the end of last season, with Tottenham having missed out on a Champions League place, the future of Gareth Bale immediately became a major issue. Real Madrid had made their intentions clear long before the season ended and I took a bullish attitude, for me, thinking that I didn’t care where Bale went to as long as it wasn’t another player heading north to strengthen Manchester United.

Over the past three months by every means possible, Real Madrid have worked tirelessly through the media in Spain and in Britain to turn Bale’s head to lure him to the Bernabeu. They are vastly experienced in these tactics which have worked for them on so many occasions. By fair means or foul, Real have been determined to sign Gareth Bale. They thought they would bully Tottenham into submission with their media attack and pronouncements but Daniel Levy is not a man to be moved easily. He hasn’t earned the reputation of being a tough negotiator for nothing.

Many times we’ve read that the deal would be closed within days. In reality, however, with only days remaining to the end of this transfer window nothing has been agreed. There has been talk of fees and players as part of the deal but Real have yet to come up with a proposal which is acceptable to Tottenham. Gareth Bale may be satisfied with whatever they are offering him but it is Spurs and Daniel Levy who have to be satisfied. Daniel Levy doesn’t need to sell Bale, in fact, he doesn’t want to sell his star player – he wants him to remain at White Hart Lane to play alongside the new players who have been signed this summer, to produce a team which can challenge the top teams in England.

Do Real Really Want Bale?

After the early skirmishes by Real led by their ambassador, Zinedine Zidane and his side-kick Luke Modric, commenting on how well Bale would be suited to playing for Real – it went quiet but that was the lull before the storm of a full frontal attack led by the Spanish paper – Marca – Real Madrid’s mouth-piece. Daily stories appeared on how unhappy Bale was, of bids that had been made and that the deal would be completed in days. Having weathered that blast, it has been very quiet with strange comments emanating from the Spanish club.

• Real players disgruntled that they were being offered to Tottenham as part of negotiations for Bale

• Christiano Ronaldo unhappy that Bale’s transfer fee was set to usurp his record when he moved from England to Spain

• The Real manager, Carlo Ancelotti saying that he was happy with his squad

• Also saying that he didn’t know how he would fit Bale into his team

• Uncertainty about whether the Real fans were fully convinced about the signing of Bale.

Not very encouraging or welcoming comments or views for a new player about to sign for the club.

In recent days as the transfer window draws to a close, negotiations have again upped a pace with Real’s usual actions in full public view – keeping the No. 11 shirt vacant for an incoming Bale, selling the replica kit on the web-site (by mistake) and building a platform to present Bale to the crowd. They have also tried to step back from a world-record fee in fear of offending the super-ego of Ronaldo who is awaiting the outcome of this transfer before signing a new contract with Real.

Monday’s Daily Mail, like many papers, had details of a carefully choreographed programme of how Bale would be introduced to the footballing world as a Real Madrid player. He was to be presented on Tuesday (yesterday) at the Bernabeu Stadium and then make his debut (I thought he was injured) next Sunday against Atletico Bilbao with a lunchtime kick-off to attract the Asian and Far East television viewers.

The interest in Bale among Real Madrid supporters is expected to fall well short of when David Beckham and Ronaldo arrived at Real Madrid so they’ve built a smaller platform and it’s not on the pitch as it had been previously.

With such comments coming from Spain why is Bale still pushing for a move to a club which seems unsure of whether it really wants or needs him. Real don’t appear to want Bale the player – more Bale the ‘star’ name to parade on the world stage to put one over on their greatest rivals, Barcelona, and make a point that they can sign whoever they want whenever they decide.

The major issue to be resolved is that Real and Tottenham have still to reach any agreement on a deal and on the method of payment. Real have already spent over £50m this summer and Daniel Levy is aware that they need to off-load players in order to finance the deal. He will be anxious, however, to avoid starting a domino-effect in transfers which will result in the strengthening of rivals in England while leaving Spurs considerably weaker.

For that reason, if the second bid which Tottenham have received for Bale is from a Premier League club, then it is unlikely to be acceptable to Spurs.

Tottenham

v Sunderland last May. Is this Gareth Bale leaving WHL for the last time? [Jav The_DoC_66]Daniel Levy has dealt generously with Bale throughout his years at Spurs, improving his contract as he has stepped up to the mark. Even in the early days when progress was hindered by injury, they gave him a new contract to show they had faith in his ability but also to try to hold off any approach from other clubs. It has worked and again Spurs are prepared to give Bale a new contract way beyond anything that any previous player had ever been offered by Tottenham. If he were to stay Bale would be handsomely rewarded at Spurs this season and with the signings that have been made the quality and depth of the squad  has greatly increased.

Tottenham needed to show ambition and with the spending they have undertaken this summer, Daniel Levy has given Andre Villas-Boas his full backing with a very ambitious programme of new signings for the season ahead. All that’s needed to turn it into a team challenging for the title and trophies is for Gareth Bale to give it one more season.

Gareth, Real Madrid will be back in next year – you can be certain of that.