Transfer news: Gareth Bale skips Tottenham training amid reports in Spain that deal to Real Madrid will be announced imminently

Spanish paper says £85m Welshman could even play for Madrid on Thursday

Gareth Bale (GETTY IMAGES)

Gareth Bale did not report for training at Tottenham Hotspur today with Real Madrid are confident they will announce the £85m transfer of Gareth Bale later on today, and the Welshman will then be presented as a Madrid player at the Bernabeu tomorrow, according to reports in Spain.

Despite talk yesterday of another club set to rival Madrid for the signature of Bale, which David Moyes has denied was Manchester United, Spanish newspaper Marca has reported that Tottenham and Madrid reached an agreement for Bale last Wednesday for a world-record £85m (€99m), on a six-year contract worth €10m per season.

Bale was called in to train with Tottenham today, which was set to be his final visit to the Spurs’ training ground before flying back to Spain tonight, but he did not turn up at the club's base in Enfield. The 24-year-old had spent the weekend in Marbella.

Marca report that Bale could even feature in Carlo Ancelotti’s team on Thursday, in a friendly match against Deportivo La Coruna at the Riazor.