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Gareth Bale deal between Spurs and Madrid is not plane sailing
GARETH BALE now looks certain to take flight to Real Madrid after missing Tottenham’s plane to Monaco yesterday.
Despite reports from Spain that Spurs are close to an agreement worth £105million, the final package still remains elusive as the clubs have differing views on which Madrid players should be makeweights in the deal.
But Tottenham are adamant the move will fall apart if Real cannot put together a player-plus-cash combination that interests them. That will prompt a concerted effort to strike a deal over the weekend, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy wanting to give manager Andre Villas-Boas plenty of time to spend the proceeds from Bale’s sale if agreement is reached.
“We will see what happens – it is between the two clubs,” Real manager Carlo Ancelotti said. Bale arrived at the club’s training ground yesterday morning expecting to join the squad on the flight to Monaco for today’s friendly but the club were persuaded there was little point in him travelling.
Levy is insisting the bulk of the transfer – more than the current world record of £80m – is met with a straightforward cash transaction. While Real do not have a problem with that, players would have to be traded to make up the remainder.
Fabio Coentrao is one prime candidate, while Villas-Boas has eyes on Spain Under-21 striker Alvaro Morata or even former Tottenham star Luka Modric, but Ancelotti is vetoing both of those.