'Tottenham can't force Gareth Bale to stay'
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Tottenham Hotspur Non-Executive Director Sir Keith Mills has admitted that the club could be powerless to prevent Gareth Bale from joining Real Madrid this summer.
Bale has been the subject of intense transfer speculation this summer, with Spanish giants Madrid said to have offered £86 million for the 24-year-old.
The Wales international has not yet commented on his future, and it is widely thought that he will make the move to the Bernabéu before the close of the transfer window.
Bale is thought to want to play Champions League football next season, and could be lured by a big money move, leaving Mills to concede that it would be very difficult to force him to stay if Bale wanted to leave the club.
Mills told the Evening Standard: "We very much want Bale to stay.
"If a player is desperate to leave, it's very difficult to force him to stay.
"We've seen it in other clubs. Even if he has a contract, you can't force somebody to play for you."
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| Gareth Bale has not played for Tottenham since their friendly game against Swindon last July Photo: Getty Images |
Bale has been the subject of intense transfer speculation this summer, with Spanish giants Madrid said to have offered £86 million for the 24-year-old.
The Wales international has not yet commented on his future, and it is widely thought that he will make the move to the Bernabéu before the close of the transfer window.
Bale is thought to want to play Champions League football next season, and could be lured by a big money move, leaving Mills to concede that it would be very difficult to force him to stay if Bale wanted to leave the club.
Mills told the Evening Standard: "We very much want Bale to stay.
"If a player is desperate to leave, it's very difficult to force him to stay.
"We've seen it in other clubs. Even if he has a contract, you can't force somebody to play for you."
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