Bale seals return to Tottenham

LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters): Gareth Bale completed a loan move from Spanish champions Real Madrid back to his former club Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday as the Wales forward ended an increasingly fractious seven-year stay at the Bernabeu.

The 31-year-old had flown to London on Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's private jet on Friday along with Real's Spanish left back Sergio Reguilon to put the finishing touches to their moves on a seismic day for the Premier League club.

Bale has joined Spurs on a season-long loan deal and although the financial details of the move were not disclosed, British media reported that Tottenham will pay around 20 million pounds ($25.83 million) in wages and loan fees.

"It's such a special club to me. It's where I made my name," said Bale. "Incredible to be back and now I hope I can get some match fitness and get underway and really help the team and hopefully win trophies."

Spurs said in a statement that Bale, who injured his knee playing for Wales this month, is likely be match-fit after the October international break. He will wear the No.9 shirt.

It is seven years since Cardiff-born Bale left Tottenham to join Real Madrid for a then world record fee of 100 million euros after a spectacular rise.

Signed from Southampton as a promising left back in 2007, Bale went on to score 56 goals in 203 appearances, helping Spurs qualify for the Champions League for the first time.

Yet Bale initially struggled to make an impact at Tottenham until eventually blossoming under former manager Harry Redknapp, first as an attacking left back then further forward.

He announced himself on the world stage with a sensational hat-trick away to Inter Milan in the Champions League in 2010.

In his final season at Tottenham he scored 21 Premier League goals in 33 games, many of them spectacular.

In 2013 he was voted Premier League Player of the Season after some mesmerising displays for his club.

After his dream move to Real Madrid, then managed by Carlo Ancelotti, he became part of an all-star cast, including Cristiano Ronaldo and former Spurs team mate Luka Modric.

He won the first of four Champions League winners' medals in his first season with Los Blancos. Bale was also part of two La Liga title-winning sides.

Bale scored 105 goals in 251 appearances for Madrid but his relationship with French manager ZinedineZidane had become fractious and last season he was marginalised.

He endured his worst season at Real in 2019-20, scoring only three goals in all competitions, and barely featured in their run to the Liga title.

His growing rift with Zidane reached a low point when he chose not to travel with the squad for a Champions League clash against Manchester City last season.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid coach ZinedineZidane said he did not say anything to Gareth Bale before he left to sign for Tottenham Hotspur but insisted he had no personal issue with the Wales forward and praised what he did for the Spanish club.

"I did not speak to him," Zidane told a news conference ahead of Real's first game in La Liga away to Real Sociedad.

"But I know what he has done for this club. He always proved his quality and what he has achieved with the club cannot be argued with."