Cash and player for Bale deal
Tottenham will demand the full £85m up front
DANIEL LEVY will reluctantly bow to Gareth Bale’s desire to leave Tottenham if Real Madrid offer a world record £85million — plus a player. The Spurs chairman’s stance has shifted after Bale decided during the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong that he wants to move to the Bernabeu. Levy has maintained throughout the summer that his star asset will not be sold — and he still wants to keep him — but the Spurs chairman recognises Real Madrid’s pursuit is relentless. Bahamas-based businessman Joe Lewis, who is Tottenham’s largest shareholder, will have the ultimate say if, as expected, Real Madrid follow their public interest with a formal offer. Levy, who flew back from the Far East to London on
Sunday to discuss Bale’s future with club officials, will make a series of demands if the Spanish giants can come up with the cash. He wants the money up front and there is still a possibility he will demand a Real Madrid player in addition to a world record fee. The Spanish giants paid Manchester United £80m in a lump sum when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo following the Champions League defeat against Barcelona in 2009. But Real Madrid want to structure the Bale deal so that they pay a sizeable chunk up front, and stagger the rest of the fee over the course of his contract. Portugal defender Fabio Coentrao, who kept Brazilian left back Marcelo out of the team at Real Madrid, and Argentina winger Angel di Maria (right) are being offered as part of the package. Bale has been given two days off along with the rest of the Spurs squad after returning from Hong Kong at 5am yesterday. However, the PFA Player of the Year, who scored 21 goals in the Premier League last season, wants his future resolved this week. Bale has missed the majority of Tottenham’s pre-season programme with a gluteal injury, but manager Andre VillasBoas claims he will be fit to train this week. He will return to training tomorrow as Spurs prepare for their friendly against Claudio Ranieri’s Monaco on Saturday. Real Madrid are travelling to America this week for the 2013 International Challenge Cup, and time is running out to get the deal done before the start of the season. Tottenham’s Premier League campaign kicks off at Crystal Palace on August 18 and Madrid will kick off their La Liga campaign against Real Betis on the same weekend as Villas-Boas’s men.