Gareth Bale admits he plans to end Spurs stay in the summer

Paul Macdonald

• Updated: 20 May 2021 11:26 BST
• 5 min read

Gareth Bale has poured cold water on talk of him extending his loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur by insisting his aim is to head back to Real Madrid next season.

The 31-year-old endured a difficult few years in the Spanish capital, becoming increasingly ostracised and seeing his popularity with fans take a nosedive.

He returned to Spurs on loan last summer, seven years after leaving and in a bid to regain form and fitness ahead of this summer’s European Championships, but he says his uncertain future isn’t a distraction as he is keen to return to Spain for the final year of his contract.

“There’s no distraction for me,” Bale told a press conference ahead of Wales’ opening 2022 World Cup qualifier in Belgium.

“I think the main reason I came to Spurs this year was to play football first and foremost.

“Going into the Euros I wanted to be match-fit. The original plan was to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros still have a year left at Real Madrid.

“My plan is to go back, that’s as far I have planned.”

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Should Bale stay at Spurs? 

There was a lot of attention surrounding Bale’s return. He left a hero and for a world record fee, and it felt like the most obvious move to make.

Although things have begun to look up lately, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Bale back in North London. He has played in just 12 Premier League games this season, scoring five goals.

Just like in Madrid, his motivation was questioned, and given his wages are over  £600,000 per week, romanticism would have to be taken out of any decision on what happens next.

Real will almost certainly be looking to offload Bale, but he has previously stated he would he happy to stay whether he was playing or not.

Right now, it looks unlikely that he will extend his second spell at Spurs.