Gareth Bale: Tottenham in talks to sign Real Madrid winger on loan

‘Gareth still loves Spurs. We are talking. It’s where he wants to be’

Real Madrid manager expects strike duo to remain at the Bernabeu, despite speculation

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks to sign Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale on loan. 

Madrid are desperate to offload Bale’s exorbitant wages and are willing to partially subsidise a deal in order to facilitate the 31-year-old’s return to the Premier League.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, said: "Gareth still loves Spurs. We are talking [Spurs, Real and Bale's camp]. It's where he wants to be."

Bale joined Madrid from Spurs in 2013 for a then-world record £85m fee and has since gone on to win four Champions League titles. However, his relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane is all but broken and the Welsh international barely featured following the lockdown.

While on international duty with Wales at the start of the month, Bale admitted that he was open to returning to England but that Madrid were making any move “difficult”.

"I tried to leave last year but they [Real Madrid] blocked everything at the last second," Bale told Sky Sports.

"It was a project I was excited for last year but it didn't materialise. And there have been other instances but the club won't allow it or something, so it's up to the club.

"I want to play football. I'm still motivated to play football. I'm 31 but I'm in great shape still and I feel I've got a lot to give.

"We'll see what happens. It's in the club's hands and they make things very difficult to be honest."

Spurs are also in talks to sign Madrid full-back Sergio Reguilon, who had attracted interest from Manchester United, too. 

Reguilon, who won the Europa League while on loan at Sevilla last season, is also out of favour under Zidane, although Madrid are thought to want to include a buy-back clause in a deal worth around £25m.