Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will present the club’s next manager with the option of re-signing Gareth Bale for the 2021-22 season.
Bale is due to return to Real Madrid next month when his current loan deal at Spurs expires but there is a growing feeling that a second loan deal would benefit the club during what is likely to be a season of transition.
There is also a feeling that another move for the Welshman would make financial sense given the costs attached to replacing him.
In tying up Bale’s return last summer, Tottenham secured first option for a second season-long loan deal, meaning the London club can effectively extend the deal into next term on the same terms. Spurs are paying in the region of £240,000-per-week of his Real Madrid contract.
It is understood, however, that Spurs cannot simply activate the option and that such a deal would require Bale’s agreement.
Following a disappointing first half of the season, Bale has shown flashes of his best form in recent months, his hat-trick against Sheffield United on Sunday taking his season tally to 14, making him the club’s third highest goalscorer behind Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
He has managed to change the perception of many at Spurs who feared the move to bring Bale back to the club was destined for failure with a string of impressive displays in recent weeks.
There appears little of hope of Bale playing a significant role for Real next season meaning the Spanish club will likely sanction another loan deal to offload at least part of his wages.
And while it would cost Spurs in the region of £12million in wages to trigger a second loan, it would likely cost Tottenham far more to sign a like-for-like replacement in the transfer market, a factor Levy will be acutely aware.
The prospect of Bale joining another Premier League club on loan and being a success is also a scenario Tottenham will want to avoid.
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