Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with Real Madrid to have winger Gareth Bale back, his agent said on Tuesday, as the Wales international looks to end his troubled spell at the Spanish club.
Bale made over 200 appearances for English Premier League (EPL) club side Spurs between 2007 and 2013.
He scored 56 goals with 58 assists before his then world-record move to Real Madrid for 100 million euros (118.46 million dollars).
The 31-year-old has scored over 100 goals for Real Madrid and won numerous trophies, including four UEFA Champions League titles.
But he was given limited playing time under Zinedine Zidane towards the end of last season’s La Liga triumph.
“Gareth still loves Spurs,” his agent Jonathan Barnett said on Tuesday. “We are talking (Spurs, Real Madrid and Bale’s camp). It’s where he wants to be.”
Bale endured his worst season at the Spanish club in 2019/2020 with only three goals in all competitions.
He admitted earlier this month that he would consider a return to the Premier League if Real Madrid allow him to end his stint in Spain.
The Welshman has a contract until 2022 and was set to make a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League last year before the transfer was scuttled.
That was when Real Madrid made a last-minute decision to insist on a transfer fee rather than terminate his contract.
Bale has divided opinion among the club’s fanbase, with some supporters frustrated by a perceived lack of commitment from the Welshman.
He did not feature in their final seven league matches as they pipped FC Barcelona to the Liga title while he watched on from the bench.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho had said before their season-opening 1-0 defeat by Everton on Sunday that he wanted the club to sign a striker before the transfer window closes on Oct. 5.
Spurs, who finished sixth last season, signed midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and right-back Matt Doherty while goalkeeper Joe Hart was recruited as a free agent in the close season.
