REAL MADRID are refusing to rule out bringing Gareth Bale back to the Bernabeu – despite Tottenham having an option to sign the attacker permanently.
The Spanish giants agreed a deal in the summer, with the North Londoners picking up the bill for part of the Welsh talisman’s mega £650,000-a-week wages.
Gareth Bale could return to Real Madrid next summer – but that is probably only likely if Zinedine Zidane is axed Credit: EPA
He has struggled to nail down a starting spot and clashed with Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane.
But it has emerged that Madrid have options on what to do next summer.
Tottenham chief Daniel Levy penned a deal to sign Bale permanently when he agreed to the mega signing last summer.
Bale will have one year left on his contract next summer and could be sold to an English club, with Spurs favourites.
Madrid newspaper AS report that the club are restructuring so they have extra finances to bring in more stars.
Their top targets are strikers Kylian Mbappe, from PSG, and Erling Haaland, from Dortmund, plus Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
They are already saving £16m a year by offloading James Rodriguez to Everton.
And they could save around £27m if they sell Bale.
Tottenham could wrap up a sale of around £22m for the 31-year-old next summer.
Alternatively he could stay in the capital at his old club for a second full season on loan.
The third option is that he returns to Madrid, where he has scored 80 goals in 145 LaLiga starts.
But that would only really be feasible if Zidane gets the axe.
The Cardiff-born frontman’s Los Blancos contract is thought to end on June 30, 2022.
But he will be able to sign a pre-contract with a club outside Spain in 14 months’ time.
Bale has made six appearances for Tottenham so far, scoring one goal.
He made his first Premier League start this season – his first for seven years – in Spurs’ 1-0 win over West Brom last time out.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
