Real Madrid have apparently conceded defeat in their attempts to lureTottenham forward Gareth Bale to the Bernabeu, at least for now.
The Spanish giants will not make a move this summer but are confidentBale will make the move into "the big time" in 12 months time.Realhave made no secret of their admiration for the Wales international,with a number of key figures from the club, including presidentFlorentino Perez and new assistant coach Zinedine Zidane making theirinterest public.
Many of those attempts to unsettle last season'sPlayers' and Writers' Player of the Season were made through Marca, theSpanish newspaper often seen as the club's mouthpiece.However, Marca revealed today that the club have given up for this summer after realising Spurs would not buckle.
Anarticle on Marca's website, stated: "Real Madrid have decided to putthe Gareth Bale signing on hold. After receiving yet another "no" fromTottenham Hotspur, Florentino Perez and his team have decided to call ita day and now see the signing of Bale this summer as impossible. "DanielLevy, the English club's president, is not open to negotiation, andfaced with such inflexibility, reaching any sort of agreement is notviable."
Last night, Bale's agent Jonathan Barnettconfirmed that Madrid had yet to even make a bid and that the winger wasfocussing on returning to pre-season training next week.
Bale isunderstood to be happy at White Hart Lane and he was not prepared toforce a transfer like Luka Modric did to Madrid last summer.However,Madrid are hopeful that they will succeed in 12 months' time and willmake a stronger attempt to buy the 23-year-old then.
The articlein Marca added: "He is content to stay for another year in England,despite the fact that his club will not be taking part in the ChampionsLeague. He says that he's very thankful to Tottenham and that he's happywhere he is. "Bale has no release clause, will not be making atransfer request, and considers that, being only 23, he has time enoughto make the jump into the big time. And when that happens, he wants itto be with 'Los Blancos'."
Bale has three years remaining on his contract and has been offered an improved deal worth £130,000 a week.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/real-madrid-give-up-pursuit-of-tottenham-forward-gareth-bale-for-now-8685888.html
