The Sport Matrix: Tuesday 21 May 2013

Spurs to offer Bale massive wage in bid to keep star

Gareth Bale will be offered the opportunity to sign yet another lucrative contract at Tottenham Hotspur this summer or stay on his existing deal and be sold next year – but he has been told by the club that there is no prospect of him leaving this summer.

The 23-year-old and his advisers are currently pondering their next move, with Spurs prepared to offer him his sixth contract in six years at the club, thought to be worth in excess of £150,000 a week.

Bale, above, is already Spurs’ highest-ever earner on £100,000 a week, but negotiations could be pitched as high as £200,000 a week, putting him in a bracket with the highest-paid players in the Premier League.

There is no chance that he will be sold this summer, Bale has been told, and Levy’s recent record on that front, especially with Luka Modric in the summer of 2011, has been consistent.

Bale currently has three years remaining on his contract, and were he to remain on that, the club would feel that they have no option but to sell him next year when he reaches the critical two-year cut-off point. MORE

Real and Mourinho to part company

Real Madrid have announced that Jose Mourinho will leave the club at the end of the season after three years in charge of the Spanish giants. Mourinho has been linked to a return to Chelsea, where he was manager between 2004 and 2007, when Rafael Benitez leaves. MORE

Vettori back to fill hole in Kiwi squad

Daniel Vettori could feature in New Zealand’s second Test with England on Friday after prematurely joining up with the squad due to Bruce Martin’s calf injury. Vettori has not played a first-class game for ten months due to an Achilles injury.

Chambers aims to ward off dopers

Dwain Chambers insists he wants to prevent others from doping as he looks to the start of the outdoor season in Manchester. “I want people to know what I did. If it stops one person then that’s a good thing.” MORE

City set to reveal sister team in US

Manchester City arrived in New York last night intent on building on their status as Abu Dhabi’s prime football franchise, in the week that owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan is expected to announce a deal to establish a Major League Soccer franchise. MORE

FIA rejects Pirelli tyre change plea

Pirelli’s proposal to revert to last season’s tyres has been rejected by F1’s governing body. Attempts to make racing more exciting by introducing degradable tyres have been met with anger by teams, but the FIA will not sanction a return to old-style tyres.

Encke caught up in steroid scandal

The Mahmood al-Zarooni scandal continued yesterday after Encke, who deprived Camelot of a Triple Crown success last year, was named among seven more horses to have tested positive for anabolic steroids. But fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor gained the all-clear. MORE

Garcia refuses to speak to Woods

Sergio Garcia poured fuel on the fire of his row with Tiger Woods last night by claiming he had nothing to say to the world No 1 after their spat at Sawgrass. “First of all I don’t have his number and secondly I did nothing wrong,” Garcia said. MORE

Opinion: James Lawton

Back in that other lifetime which featured prominently at the Olympics, some of us wondered to what extent Premier League footballers like Luis Suarez would be inspired by what they were seeing. MORE

Early bird Moyes eager to get going

David Moyes was at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground yesterday morning, more than a month before he officially takes over at the club. The 50-year-old’s final game as Everton manager was a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Sunday. He starts at Old Trafford on 1 July.

Gatland stands firm on Wilkinson talk

Lions coach Warren Gatland refused to be drawn into questions about Jonny Wilkinson’s tour exclusion, despite his contribution to Toulon’s Heineken Cup triumph. Gatland conceded there might be a “conversation” if injuries disrupt the tour. MORE