Transfer news: Gareth Bale talks over Real Madrid move still on despite alarm at the fee Tottenham are demanding

Real president Florentino Perez questioned whether Bale was worth £86m but sources close to Bale insist talks remain on-going

Gareth Bale leaving Tottenham's training ground earlier this week (GETTY IMAGES)

Despite the lack of progress, Real Madrid are still negotiating a deal with Tottenham to sign winger Gareth Bale even though club president Florentino Perez cast doubt on the move yesterday due to the hefty fee being demanded by Spurs.

Real have maintained a very public campaign to try and  lure Bale to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, with a number of players past and present speaking to the media about their desire to see the Welshman playing for the Spanish side.

Perez questioned whether or not spending £86m for Bale would be worth it, telling television broadcaster ESPN that “100m euros seems to me like a lot of money, all things considered”.

Some areas believed that Real were starting to back out of the deal, having paid £80m to Manchester United when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2009, with a transfer for Spurs key player set to surpass that fee that set the world transfer record.

There are still three weeks left for Madrid and Spurs to agree a deal before the transfer window slams shut, and sources close to Bale insisted today talk talks are continuing over a summer switch.

The deal is believed to have stalled over what the north London club are getting in return, with their preference to receive at least one player from Real’s talented squad as well as a large sum of cash.

Portuguese left-back Fabio Coentrao has seemed the most likely candidate that Los Blancos could offer, although Spurs’ preference is to take young striker Alvaro Morata off their hands as they look to add to the already strengthened attack with the addition of Spaniard Roberto Soldado.

Meanwhile, Bale is expected to sit out the clash with Espanyol on Saturday as he recovers from an apparent foot injury. He has been training in one-on-one sessions this week, but they have been organised as part of his recovery and not to keep him away from the rest of the first team squad. Despite the injury, he was named in the Wales squad by manager Chris Coleman to face the Republic of Ireland next week,

Regardless of whether his move to Madrid goes ahead, Bale will increase his income after his application to have his celebratory ‘eleven of hearts’ logo trademarked was given the go-ahead.

The Intellectual Property Office confirmed today that the logo, which includes a number 11 inside a heart shape made of two hands, has been trademarked by the Welshman.

Hiss advisers have plans to introduce the symbol on to a number of products which will be revealed to the public at a later date, set to give the 24-year-old a significant financial boost which could stand to make him up to £3million a year, according to Nigel Currie, director of sports marketing agency brand-rapport.

"The possibilities are huge for Gareth Bale. Once he has that right he can cash in on it and become a more well-known player,” said Currie.

"A third of his overall income could be made from his image rights, potentially up to £3million a year."

Bale first displayed the celebration in 2010, in which afterwards he admitted it was a gesture to his childhood sweetheart Emma Rhys-Jones, with whom he had a daughter last year.

Etienne Capoue looks set to complete his move to Tottenham after a fee was agreed between Spurs and Toulouse (GETTY IMAGES)

Spurs are closing in on the signing of versatile Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue, after they agreed a fee with the Ligue 1 club in the region of £8.6m.

Both Arsenal and Cardiff had declared an interest in the France international, but Tottenham are confident they have got their man and the 25-year-old is expected to sign for Villas-Boas' team in the coming days once he has completed a medical.

Capoue can operate in midfield, and looks set to become Villas-Boas' fourth signing of the summer after the recent arrivals of Paulinho, Nacer Chadli and Soldado.

Cardiff had an offer worth around £9.5m accepted for the player, but manager Malky Mackay appeared to accept defeat over his chase of the midfielder.

Mackay said: "We had a bid accepted but it looks as if he has decided, as far as I am aware, to go to Tottenham.

"It looks like it will go that way."