Gareth Bale's Tottenham homecoming is all but finalised after an initial loan deal with an option to buy has been agreed with Real Madrid.
Links back to the Premier League have been prevalent for a few years, with the Welshman struggling for first team minutes at Los Blancos - even more so recently during Zinedine Zidane's second managerial spell at the club.
Mourinho and Levy love Bale, and Levy has been ready to make a potential return happen since Mourinho was appointed. Didn't happen in January, but now.
— Scott Saunders (@_scottsaunders) September 15, 2020
This from @90min_Football back in November.https://t.co/UsJTgvqe5O
Facing another bit-part season this term, a route out of Madrid has materialised in the past week, one 90min revealed was an option for Jose Mourinho back in November, should he wish to follow through with a deal.
Now the Portuguese boss has green lighted a north London return for Bale, as 90min understands that a loan with an option to buy has been agreed between Spurs and Madrid that will see the 31-year-old return to the Premier League after seven years in La Liga.
Negotiations had been rumbling on to work out the payment of his €17m-per-season wage, which Los Blancos were thought to wanted Spurs to foot in its entirety. These claims have since been dispelled, with a loan deal worth £13m finalised (via Daily Mail) - one that Madrid are part financing.
The deal is now imminent, and a medical will follow with an official announcement shortly.
Regardless of whether the Spanish side pay even half of Bale's salary for the season, the forward would still be the highest paid player in Spurs' ranks.
What had helped push the deal along was Bale's desire to return to England this window. Craving regular football prior to next summer's European Championships, securing a Santiago Bernabeu departure had become his top priority.
Spurs are also close to sealing a deal for Madrid's Sergio Reguilon, which is where discussions over Bale evolved from. Mourinho and Daniel Levy were fully aware of the deficiencies in his side and had marked the Welshman as the key player to help his side push for the Premier League top four.
Seven years on from his departure, Spurs will be reunited with their former hero.
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Source: 90min
