Bale ignores overtures and signs new four-year deal

Gareth Bale has signed a new deal with Tottenham (GETTY IMAGES)

Gareth Bale committed his immediate future to Tottenham Hotspur yesterday by signing a new four-year contract. The 22-year-old winger had been the subject of interest from elsewhere but he said that he wanted to take Spurs back into the Champions League.

"It's great to sign again," Bale said. "I love the club and the fans and I want to play my part in trying to get us back into the Champions League – where we belong.

"We've a good, young squad and we need to work together to get back on the biggest stage again. Hopefully we can do that."

Bale has signed a new deal at Tottenham despite the club's lack of a manager. Harry Redknapp left earlier this month and Andre Villas-Boas, formerly of Chelsea, is expected to be confirmed as his replacement next week.

"The main thing is that we qualify for the Champions League and try to replicate our form from the first half of last season, when we were right up there challenging for the title," said Bale, the 2011 PFA player of the year. "On a personal level, I just want to improve on last season.

"Every player wants to do better and that's my target. I've been here for five years now and I've enjoyed every minute"

The right-back Vedran Corluka has left White Hart Lane after yesterday signing for the Russian Premier League side Lokomotiv Moscow on a permanent deal. Corluka joined from Manchester City in 2008 but spent some of last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen. He will be managed at Lokomotiv by his former Croatia coach, Slaven Bilic.