ROY KEANE has questioned whether Jose Mourinho really wanted to sign Gareth Bale.
The Welshman’s return to Spurs on loan from Real Madrid was one of the most high-profile deals of the summer.
Gareth Bale was an unused sub yet again in the win over Sheffield UnitedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
But Bale, who has four Champions League titles to his name, has made just one Premier League start this season.
He has only seen 161 minutes of league action but has featured in all of their Europa League campaigns.
Form and fitness have played a part in his exclusion from the side but question marks were raised after he was an unused substitute in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Sheffield United.
And Manchester United legend Keane believes chairman Daniel Levy could have had a huge say on the transfer.
He said on Sky Sports: “I start to worry if Mourinho really wanted him, whether it was the chairman that brought him in because… not to be given many minutes.
“Bizarre.”
Fellow pundit Graeme Souness was also left scratching his head over Mourinho’s plans for him.
He added: “It’s strange that he’s involved, on the bench, suggesting he’s OK.
Roy Keane questioned whether Mourinho ever wanted Bale in the first place
Jose Mourinho has started Bale just once in the league this seasonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
“OK [he] can’t truly be match fit but good for 15 minutes, half an hour.
“Start him, give him 45 minutes. There’s no attempt to get him match fit.”
Question marks were further raised of Bale’s relationship with Mourinho following an apparent frosty interaction in training.
On a video shared to Spurs TV, Mourinho can be heard saying: “You want to stay here? Or go to Real Madrid and play no football?”
According to The Times, no plans are in place for Spurs to extend Bale’s stay with the club.
but Mourinho insists the club have yet to make a decision over his future.
He said: “There was not even a second of discussion about that.
“Gareth is a player who is on loan until the end of the season. There has not been one second of discussion.
“We are speaking about facts, Gareth himself, Real Madrid, Tottenham… but I promise you not one second of discussion.”
Mourinho heard giving Gareth Bale brutal warning in training about being sent back to Real Madrid to ‘play no football’
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
