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Tottenham lead chase for Bale with £10m bid
Last updated at 20:52pm on 23.05.07Tottenham have opened the bidding war for Gareth Bale with a £10million package which they are confident will prove enough to secure the services of the Southampton teenage defender.
The tactics of manager Martin Jol and Spurs' sporting director Damien Comolli are to crash in early with a big-money offer for Bale in an attempt to muscle Manchester United out of the race for the Wales international.
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Making the step up: Highly-rated Southampton full back Gareth Bale could be on his way to White Hart Lane
An opening offer of a £6m down-payment with £4m in add-ons matches one they made in the January window, when the 17-year-old left back was persuaded to stay and fight for promotion with the Saints.
The bid has not been accepted by Southampton but it did spark a flurry of rumours that Bale would soon be on his way to north London for a medical.
Asked whether a deal had been struck, Saints boss George Burley replied: "That is not correct at all. Nothing has been agreed, nothing has changed.
"He is still only 17 and he is still maturing. We want him to stay and we feel he needs another season at Southampton to develop. But Gareth Bale will decide whether he wants to stay."
After losing to Derby in the play-offs, Burley met Southampton chief executive Jim Hone on Tuesday to discuss the summer strategy for all the club's players, with the Bale issue top of the agenda. Bale, who came through the club's satellite academy at Bath, has only one year left on his contract and Saints privately admit he is unlikely to sign a new one.
Bale is said to prefer a move to Manchester United and the chance to link up with his idol and Wales team-mate Ryan Giggs.
But Spurs outbid United in January and Sir Alex Ferguson's transfer priorities lie with Owen Hargreaves and a striker.
Tottenham are encouraged by the fact that Ferguson's squad is well stocked with left backs — in fact the Londoners have already enquired about Gabriel Heinze and Mikael Silvestre in case they fail to land Bale.
Spurs cannot compete with United for a "finished article" but they are ready to gamble a million or two over the odds on a promising young player who may represent a greater risk.
Tottenham captain Ledley King underlined the need for the club to strengthen their defence. "We have let in too many goals this season. If we improve there then we will be in a better position, simple as that," he said. Those who know Bale insist there is no risk involved.
Academy staff at Southampton refer to him as a hard worker with an outstanding attitude, bags of pace and natural talent. He has also proved a free-kick expert.
Bale has pulled out of the Wales squad for Saturday's friendly against New Zealand to recover from an ankle injury suffered in the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Derby.
