Madrid, August 1 (IANS) Real Madrid will not give up on their chase to sign Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale this summer, Madrid’s director of football Zinedine Zidane, who is also the assistant to coach Carlo Andelotti, has confirmed.
Madrid’s attempts to sign the Welsh international have already made the saga the transfer soap opera of the summer, with Tottenham turning down a reported world record offer of around 85 million pounds from the Spanish side, reports Xinhua.
Although he has yet to make a formal transfer request, Bale is thought to be frustrated by Spurs’ refusal to sell him, while the English club are said to be holding out for in incredible 100 million pounds (145 million euros) for the player.
Given that Bale is still in contract with Tottenham, Madrid should not be negotiating with the player, but speaking from Los Angeles where the club are carrying out pre-season training, Zidane believes it is time they were doing so.
“If he has expressed a desire to join Madrid, then Tottenham should give him permission to speak with us. The chance to play for Real Madrid might only come around once in a player’s lifetime and it is understandable Gareth does not want to miss out on it.”
Zidane hinted that the club, which last season failed to win a single trophy, might be prepared to up their offer for Bale.
“This is modern football. You have to pay to get the best players in Europe. Last season Gareth was on the same level as (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi. The best players can have not so great games but change a game with a moment of brilliance and those are the sort of players that win you Champions League and league titles,” said the Frenchman.
Real Madrid have already spent big this summer, splashing out 60 million euros on young Spanish midfield players, Isco and Asier Illaramendi, as well as spending a further 12 million to buy Dani Carvajal and Brazilian midfielder Casimiro and with doubts still lingering over whether or not Ronaldo will sign a new contract, Bale is seen as vital to the club’s long term future.
