Tottenham no longer have a ‘preferential option’ to sign Gareth Bale if and when the forward decides to leave Real Madrid, according to reports in Spain.
Bale left Spurs for Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 but, despite winning four Champions League titles in Spain, has been consistently linked with a return to England in recent years – Spanish outlet El Desmarque tipped Bale to rejoin Spurs as recently as December.
However, it seems the ease of securing Bale’s return will now be more difficult for the Londoners if another Spanish newspaper is to be believed.
Marca (as relayed by Sport Witness) claims Newcastle United’s prospective new owners are interested in Bale, a deal that would be made easier if they appoint former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.
It is said that Spurs wouldn’t have much luck in preventing a move to Newcastle going through as an agreement they had with Real has now expired. Marca say the agreement was a ‘preferential option’, meaning Tottenham would have been told if a bid for Bale had been accepted so that they had the opportunity to match it.
The clause apparently expired last June, adding another stumbling block to the rumoured reunion of Spurs and Bale – in all honestly, it was always unlikely to happen anyway.
