Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale has spoken to Jose Mourinho and told him that he wants to return to Tottenham Hotspur, though the Spurs boss is remaining coy on the deal.
Talks over a sensational deal to sign the Welshman – likely on loan with Real paying a large percentage of his salary – have accelerated in recent days and hours, with the two clubs now close to reaching an agreement.
There have even been suggestions that Bale could be involved against former club Southampton on Sunday, though Mourinho was unwilling to entertain the rumours at his press conference on Wednesday.
Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, confirmed the talks with Spurs last night and has now gone one step further, saying Mourinho and Bale have spoken about the move with the 31-year-old making it clear he is desperate to return.
‘There’s a long way to go on some issues, but without doubt Gareth is closer to leaving Madrid than at any time in last seven years,’ Barnett told Sky Sports News on Wednesday.
‘The deal is complicated, but there’s reason to believe a deal is close and things could move very quickly if discussions continue to go well.
Mourinho was tight-lipped when asked about Bale’s looming return to Spurs at his pre-match press conference before facing Lokomotiv Plovdiv in the Europa League on Wednesday, though he has long admired the winger.
Asked about his attempts to sign Bale while at Manchester United, Mourinho said: ‘Even before that, I tried to sign him for Real Madrid which was not possible to do during my time there.
‘But the president followed my instinct and my knowledge and the season I left he brought Gareth to the club. There is no secret on that. Even Gareth knows that.
‘But I’m not going to speak about him anymore because he is a Real Madrid player.’
Bringing Bale back to the Premier League would represent a sensational coup for Spurs, who are also on the verge of wrapping up a deal for the Welshman’s Real Madrid teammate Sergio Reguilon.
