The target is to do that this season, I want to bring that mentality back to Tottenham. It's an exciting time. It has been a turbulent year for Bale, who fell out of favour under head coach Zinedine Zidane - with whom he has shared a strained relationship with in Madrid - and came close to leaving for Chinese side Jiangsu Suning last summer. The player revealed in an interview with Sky Sports earlier in September he would be open to a return to the Premier League if the Spanish club would let him go.
Bale only managed three goals in 20 appearances for Real Madrid last season, but has now returned to the club where he made his name as one of the world's best footballers. It will take the player up to a month to be fully match fit as he increases the firepower of a team that already has Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane. Tottenham's head coach Jose Mourinho recently admitted he had always been a fan of the player, but failed to sign him when he managed Real Madrid.
Mourinho added the Spanish club took his advice and bought the player after Mourinho left Madrid in On Thursday, when Gareth Bale left the Real Madrid training ground for the final time, his departure was met with apathy by the dozen or so fans waiting at the gates for a glimpse of their heroes. Compared with the clamour for Luka Modric to give them so much as a wave, it struck me how far Bale has fallen in the eyes of the public here.
Both players joined following standout seasons with Tottenham Hotspur, and both have played a key role in winning no less than four Champions League titles.
But the similarities end there, as one will forever be tarnished by his failure to fully embrace what it means to be a Real Madrid player. I've heard much criticism of Bale during my stay here, from fellow media professionals and supporters alike, with the most common accusation being his failure to integrate himself into the Spanish culture during his seven-year stay.
Not learning the language has undoubtedly held Bale back here in the eyes of the public as he has never been able to fully connect with them, and vice versa. No surprise then to hear anecdotes of him slowly becoming more insular as time has gone on and finding solace on the golf course. That's despite Bale continuing to delight on the pitch with moments of pure magic, such as the overhead kick against Liverpool in , one of two goals that brought the European Cup back to the city for a 13th time.
Goals like that should have been career-defining, and perhaps one day the fans here will reflect upon all the good things Bale did for the club, rather than focus on the negatives. Injuries have taken their toll and will almost certainly have caused the man himself every bit as much frustration as the club paying his wages.
However, he never looked capable of hitting the same heights in England, as he simply failed to adjust to the demands of the Premier League.
Only ahead of Soldado on the basis that he may still prove some worth, Erik Lamela has arguably been a bigger disappointment. While the Spanish striker was signed to supplement Spurs' attacking options, Lamela was signed as a like-for-like replacement for Bale.
It has been a billing he has completely failed to live up to. The longer he toils at the Lane — and the bigger the eventual loss that Spurs will presumably have to take on him — may serve to push him below Soldado. While a largely dependable figure, Etienne Capoue never looked capable of quite providing the quality required at Spurs. He made just 17 league starts across his two seasons with the club and was never able to earn a consistent run in the first team despite being capable of playing in both defence and midfield.
More than likely, Bale is going to find himself in Madrid with little playing time as Ancelotti has his own plans for the squad. He could push for another loan, but Spurs are probably not going to do another year as they are long overdue for an overhaul to the squad.
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