All eyes on Bale ahead of Spurs training

Posted Tuesday, August 06, 2013 by Foxsports.com

All eyes will be on Tottenham's training ground on Tuesday as the spotlight on Gareth Bale's world record transfer to Real Madrid intensifies.

Andre Villas-Boas gave his squad the day off on Monday following their 5-2 defeat in Monaco last weekend, but the Spurs manager expects his players to be back in training at their Enfield base on Tuesday.

Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett has denied speaking to Spanish newspaper AS, which on Monday morning reported him as saying that his client could stay away from training after being angered by Villas-Boas' claim, at a press conference in Monaco, that the Welshman would not be sold to Real. Such a move from Bale would be completely out of character.

Bale has not played for Spurs since their first game of the summer - a 1-1 draw against Swindon on July 16.

The forward, who scored a staggering 26 goals for Tottenham last year, missed the club's pre-season tour of Hong Kong because of a gluteal injury and he did not travel to Monaco after suffering a foot injury.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti revealed last week that the nine-time European champions were in talks with Spurs over the possible signing of Bale.

Having stumped up £33million to sign Luka Modric last summer after weeks of wrangling, Real know all too well how tough a negotiator Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is.

Spurs are said to be demanding a world-record sum in excess of the £80million fee the Spaniards paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo four years ago.

Unlike team-mates Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas, who have both spoken publicly about Bale's proposed move to the Santiago Bernabeu, Ronaldo would not discuss whether he thought such an astronomical fee for the Tottenham star would be good value.

"In terms of the transfer fee, you should speak to the coach [Carlo Ancelotti] and president [Florentino Perez] about that," Ronaldo said at a press conference in Miami.

"I have my opinion, but I'm not going to reveal it in front of the cameras."

British footballers often speak about the struggle of having to adapt to a new culture when moving abroad, but Bale has always insisted that he would have no problem adapting to a new way of life.

Bale's compatriot Mark Hughes moved to Barcelona in 1986, but only played in Spain for one year before he rejoined Manchester United via Bayern Munich, where he spent 12 months on loan.

He warned Bale on Monday that he faces a considerable psychological challenge if he moves to the nine-time European champions.

"You've got to be sure in your own mind that it's the right decision for you, your family and your football career first and foremost," the Stoke boss said on Wales Online.

"When I moved there was significant difference in terms of what you could do going abroad.

"Now with the Premier League there isn't a great deal of difference to be perfectly honest.

"You can be an exceptionally rich young man if you stay in the Premier League, so really it would be a decision in terms of the football and culture he wants to experience.

"It's a huge opportunity, you have to be strong enough mentally in being able to deal with everything that a move abroad entails."

Spurs boosted their attacking options by completing a record £26million deal for former Valencia striker Roberto Soldado.

The Spain striker, who scored 30 goals in 46 appearances last season, passed a medical and could make his debut in Saturday's friendly against Espanyol.