Bale still planning on Real return next season

Gareth Bale has said he plans on returning to Real Madrid for the final 12 months of his contract next season at the end of the loan deal with Tottenham Hotspur.

Bale rejoined Spurs on a temporary basis this season and while struggling initially with form and fitness, has been playing more regularly in recent weeks. He had fallen out of favour at Real, where his relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane had deteriorated badly.

But the 31-year-old attacker, speaking ahead of Wales’ World Cup qualifiers against Belgium and the Czech Republic – with a friendly against Mexico sandwiched in the middle – intends to head back to Spain.

“There’s no distraction for me,” Bale said on how his club future might affect his international form. “I think the main reason I came to Spurs this year was to play football first and foremost... but going into the Euros, I wanted to be match fit too.

“The original plan was only to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros I still have a year left at Real Madrid and my plan is to go back. That’s as far as I’ve planned to be honest.”

Bale, 31, has scored 10 goals in all competitions for Spurs this season as they sit sixth in the Premier League.

But a surprise elimination from the Europa League against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia last week sparked speculation about the future of manager Jose Mourinho.

The latest round of international matches comes at the right time for a player who has scored 33 goals in 87 matches for his country.

“I always think when things aren’t going too well at a club, it’s nice to get away, especially mentally get away from the club environment. Definitely, it can be a benefit,” said Bale, who was left on the bench by Mourinho for Sunday’s win over Wolves.

“We focus on these games for Wales, which are very important for us. We forget club life and concentrate on this.”