Bale returns to hero’s welcome
Spurs fans cheer arrival of loan star
GARETH BALE touched down in England yesterday to complete his sensational and eagerly awaited return to Tottenham.
Bale received a hero’s welcome from jubilant supporters when he arrived at the club’s training ground, seven years after leaving to join Real Madrid in a then world record £86 million transfer.
The Wales international, 31, agreed a season-long loan earlier this week, with Real Madrid subsidising at least half of his £500,000 per-week wages. The deal, which as revealed by
Sportsmail will cost Spurs £13m in wages, does not include an option or obligation for Spurs to buy Bale though they will have an option extend the loan for a second year.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is keen to retain an option to bring Bale back to the Bernabeu next summer, despite the player’s fall-out with manager Zinedine Zidane.
Perez is wary of Bale rediscovering his best form in England so has left the door open for him to return next season.
Spurs have also finalised the capture of Real left back Sergio Reguilon. The club have agreed a £27.5m deal with a further £4.5m due in add-ons.ns.
He has signeded a fivewith fiveyear deal, Spurs agreeingeing to Madrid’sd’s demand for a £ 36.5 m buyback - clause — a demand Manchester United refused in their pursuitt of the playerr — which canan be activatedd in the next two years. Neitherer deal was completeded in time for the pair to be involved in tomorrow’s trip to Southampton.
There is also a question mark over how soon Bale will be fit enough to play his part in the hectic early- season schedule for Jose Mourinho’s side. Spurs’ medical staff believe he could be four weeks away from full fitness as he battles a knee issue.
Bale will be put on an intensive personalised fitness programme to get him up to speed due to the injury and his lack of recent matches, with his only game time this season two appearances for Wales last month.
Bale, who underwent medical ttests in Madrid, arrived at the private terminal of Madrid Airport yesterday morning to fly to EEngland. AAlong with Reguilon, he travelled on a private vateprivate jet belonging to SpurSpurs chairman Daniel Levy. TThe players touched down at LLuton Airport just before 1pm before being whisked by car to Spurs’ training ground.
A crowd of fans and a number of camera crews were awaiting Bale’s arrival. He was cheered on his way in by flag-waving supporters, in contrast to the low-key day, club staff recalled, when he first joined from Southampton in 2007.
Manchester United had made tentative contact over a possible deal for Bale during the summer.
But Bale’s preference was a return to Spurs — his agent Jonathan Barnett said he has ‘a hell of a love for Tottenham’ — and the sense at Old Trafford in the last fortnight was that Bale would be London-bound. By Tuesday, the deal was all but sealed with just some routine paperwork needing to be completed. Bale returns to the Premier League with an impressive goal, assists and trophy record from his time in Spain.
He scored 105 times and set up 68 goals in 251 games, contributing to four Champions League wins and two La Liga titles. But, after a brilliant start, he leaves Madrid under a cloud following a breakdown in his relationship with Zidane and the club’s fans.
Meanwhile, Mourinho claims Tottenham’s schedule is ‘worse than Christmas’ as he tries to keep his players fresh and healthy.
Having returned from Bulgaria in the early hours of yesterday morning after the Europa League win against Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Spurs travel to Southampton tomorrow.
That game is followed by a Carabao Cup tie at Leyton Orient on Tuesday and a trip to Macedonia for a Europa League qualifier, on Thursday, against Shkendija. Spurs will play nine games in 22 days if they progress in both cup competitions. ‘I’m concerned with their welfare,’ said Mourinho.
‘I am concerned injuries can happen. This is much more than the Christmas period.
‘ It is very tricky. The risk of injuries, the risk of losing matches. We try to find a balance.’