‘Bale Madrid’, hardly the best pun-based headline, but certainly a portentous one for Tottenham fans to mull over. According to the Daily Mirror, Real Madrid have ‘secured first option to buy’ Spurs’ wing wizard Gareth Bale.
It’s thought to be a part of Tottenham’s special relationship with Real Madrid. It was claimed that the partnership between the club would involve “players, coaches, best practices and commercial relationships”. In reality, however it just looks like Real are being offered first digs a White Hart Lane’s best talent.
What Tottenham get out of it is unclear.
The Mirror have slapped a £45m price-tag on the Welshman and to me, that sounds about right. He signed a new four-year contract with Tottenham back in June, but may well have his head turned should one of the Spanish giants state their interest. After all, let’s not forget these quotes from Gareth, earlier in the year:
“If you are talking about Barcelona or Real Madrid, two of the biggest clubs in the world, then it’s a bit like Harry [Redknapp] and England, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime dream,’ he said. If you said to any young player that you could play for Barcelona or Real would they turn it down? Probably not. If a bid was accepted you would obviously have to seriously consider it.” (Source: Metro)
Whilst I’m a big fan of Gareth, I can’t help but feel Tottenham would be better off with £45m to spend. They could, for instance, spend it on three players to fill out areas that Tottenham need to improve on (like, for instance, a striker – with that kind of money Tottenham might be able to capture Joao Moutinho and Gareth Bale, wouldn’t that leave them better off?). I’m also a little worried of the danger of a Gareth Bale – Real Madrid transfer saga breaking out.
I think we’re all a little sick of protracted transfer ruminations, so if Bale fancies a trip abroad, perhaps the time’s right to let him. Especially if Real are willing to pay £45m for him.
Bale’s a quality player, without a doubt, but he doesn’t always have the impact that we expect him to. Whilst he tends to perform on the big stages (against Inter Milan, for instance) he’s not always at his best against the likes of West Brom and Norwich. As things stand, he’s one of Tottenham’s few remaining ‘special’ players, but that doesn’t make him irreplaceable.
So maybe it’s time for Tottenham to grant Bale his ‘once-in-a-lifetime dream’? Perhaps they could even use this partnership to persuade Jose Mourinho to send Gonzalo Higuain back in the other direction.
What’s your take? Could Tottenham cope without Bale? Could they use the money to improve?
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Firstly, you may not have noticed, but the transfer window has closed.
Secondly, we need to get behind our team and encourage them to up their game as much as we can. Suggesting that it’s time to sell a player is actually rather counter-productive ….
I wonder: are you a Spurs supporter?
He writes a lot about Arsenal as well. The guy is hilarious, qwerty expertise at it’s presumptuous’ best.
what makes you think levy would spend the 45 mil on transers, last year we sold crouch & palacios to stoke for 20mil o’heare 6.5mil hutton 6 mil keane 3 pav 9 mil, what did we spend 5 mil parker, 3 mil pinnear, which also beggers the question why we had to wait to sell modric to buy moutinho.
Sorry Harry but you are going to get a lot of stick on this one.
There is no way any spurs fan will want Bale gone…and who do you replace the best winger in the world with??!!
If we are to ever be more than just wannabe’s, we need to keep players like that.
Modders was different as he is not the best Centre Mid in the world, where Baley is by far the best true winger out there!
We already sold modric and got nothing in return!
Dont ever sell Gareth… Levy would be an crazy man to sell both Vdv and bale what is goin on… COYS!
MONEY IS LEVY`S GOD SO DON`T BE SURPRISED IF A DEAL HAS BEEN DONE AND ANYHOW BALE IS LIKE ALL PLAYERS A MERCENERY 1ST AND AMBITIONIST 2ND.
What a very sad comment to make. I presume you are a Spurs fan but quite frankly , with a comment like that, I personally don’t care wether you are or not…. so sad…
Learn to spell mercenary you buffoon!! Then we take you seriously…
Oh did I mention that “ambitionist” is not a word yet in 2012. Identify your planet pls!
You can say that but trouble is Madrid wouldn’t offer 45 million outright, they’d come in with some terrible bid like 25 million and levy would have to negotiate just to get a decent return
Dan Levy has already quoted 60 mil to start the bidding, madrid have first bid but thats it, barca wont stand still and let madrid have him, psg or the russian clubs would join in, january might be interesting, but i dont think he will move, he doesnt want to chase the money.
players go when ready clubs or fans wont change it a good player in each position is better than one super star and lesser players in other positions
Have you not read the statement released? Stating this does not mean they have first option on any of our players. End of. Stop stirring shit.
What a load of rubbish this is. Why do we even give it the time of day.
Will Man U sell Rooney to Millwall for 75 million. lETS START THAT AS A RUMOUR, JUST AS STUPID.
The deal regarding sales/loans of players is at academy level only,Gareth is slightly past that.
Nearly forgot The Daily Mirror to be sold to The South London Press.
Take the money and invest in new players
This is the season that will tell if Bales worth taking that kind of money for. I recall in the 2009- 2011 season Bale was devastating, particularly in his pinpoint accuracy from the deadball. I think VDV’s introduction the following season had a big impact on Bales development since then, VDV wanting to be the main man and his insistence on taking every single set piece going.. often very poorly. With Modders and VDV gone Bale should be the Star player, yes he is a danger in the box in the air but I think there is enough danger without him there and I would like to see him reinstated as the set piece taker. On the form of the last 2 seasons I’d take the 45 mill, not consistent enough for me. We’ll see how he performs this season. Ronaldo is the best winger in the world btw, and until he influences games.. every game.. as CR does he can’t even nearly be put in that category.
.. that should say 2009-2010 season