Bale forced to wait to complete Spurs return

Gareth Bale was last night still waiting to officially complete his return to Tottenham from Real Madrid.

The Wales i nternational was pictured arriving at Tottenham’s training ground yesterday afternoon after flying into London to seal a season- long loan return to the club he left in 2013.

T h e c l u b h ave b e e n i n discussions over the last few days to sign the 31- year- old, seven years after he left, and it appears all financial hurdles have been overcome. Real are understood to be paying a large chunk of Bale’s sizeable salary.

Boss Jose Mourinho has refused to answer questions about the move, while his club are also on the verge of signing Bale’s Madrid teammate Sergio Reguilon on a permanent transfer.

Left- back Reguilon, who was interesting Manchester United, is primed to make a £ 27.5 million move on a fiveyear deal after Spurs swiftly concluded negotiations for his services.

There is thought to be a buyback clause inserted into the deal by Madrid.

But it is Bale’s return which will tug on the heartstrings of Spurs fans after a hugely successful first stint at White Hart Lane.

The Cardiff- born player swapped the north London club for the Spanish capital for a then world- record fee in 2013, winning four Champions League titles during a medal- laden spell at the Bernabeu. But Bale has found himself marginalised under Zinedine Zidane and spent the last two years struggling to get in the side.