Gareth Bale will sit out the latest Tottenham pre-season friendly due to injury on Saturday as he continues to be linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas had hoped the Welsh winger would be fit to face South China FC in the Barclays Asia Trophy match in Hong Kong, however he continues to be troubled by a knock sustained in training.
Villas-Boas has revealed there are ongoing talks with Bale's agent regarding a new contract at White Hart Lane.
However reports in Spain have claimed Bale is eager to move to Madrid, with sports newspaper Marca even reporting dialogue from a conversation they claim he had with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
According to Marca, Bale told Levy he wanted Spurs to negotiate a deal and said: "I'm not interested in Manchester United or any other team. I just want to play for Madrid."
Reports in Spain earlier this week also suggested the player has already agreed terms on a six-year deal.
Whatever Bale did or did not say to Levy, Villas-Boas is optimistic the 24-year-old, who is currently contracted until 2016, will extend his stay at White Hart Lane.
The Portuguese said on Friday: "There was contact between the club and his agent last year and there is ongoing contact between the club and his agent.
"We renewed his contract at the beginning of last season, if you remember, and it's something that is being dealt with by the chairman and the agent.
"Talks are ongoing but that doesn't mean there is an agreement. At the moment we're confident that the player is under contract at Tottenham, as was done last year. It's something that we're speaking about, but there aren't any developments."
Source: PA
