Negotiations are at an advanced stage to bring Gareth Bale back to Tottenham.
After scoring a 105 goals and four Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles since joining Real Madrid for a then-world record £86m in 2013, Bale has fallen out of favour with coach Zinedine Zidane, who played him just 20 times last term.
And with game time being skaars at the Santiago Bernabeu, Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett tells Sky Sports of the Spurs deal: “There’s a long way to go on some issues, but without doubt Gareth is closer to leaving Madrid than at any time in the last seven years.
“The deal is complicated, but there’s reason to believe a deal is close and things could move very quickly if discussions continue to go well.”
He adds that Bale had even talked to Spurs coach Jose Mourinho about the move, saying: “Gareth has spoken to Jose and explained how Spurs have a special place in his heart.”
Preparing his side for their Europa League qualifier against Lokomotiv Plovdiv tonight (6pm), Mourinho says of Bale: “I tried to sign him during my time at Real Madrid and the president followed my instinct and knowledge and the season I left, he brought Gareth to the club. That’s no secret and Gareth knows that.”
There are also reports that the Lilywhites, who are also chasing £30m-rated Real leftback Reguilon, could use England attacking midfielder Dele Alli as makeweight in a permanent deal for Bale.