By Andrew Warshaw
August 23 – The world record fee for a footballer looks set to be smashed in the next few days when Tottenham Hotspur’s exciting Welshman Gareth Bale is finally sold to Real Madrid after a long-drawn-out transfer saga.
Bale has consistently been linked with a move to Madrid during the transfer window and the club are now reported to be closing in on their target for what could be as much as £90 million.
Tottenham have been spending prodigiously in recent weeks, suggesting they are using the Bale money to do their business quickly before the window closes on September 2.
The club, which missed out on Champions League football by one point last season, have already spent £60 milliomn on new players, including a club-record £26 million on Spanish international striker Roberto Soldado. That figure could be topped again, with a fee in the region of £30 million likely to be required to attract Brazilian midfielder Willian who has already passed a medical.
Real ideally would like to announce the stellar signing of Bale before their home derby against Atletico Madrid on Sunday in an attempt to maximise the global television audience. Any deal would shatter the world record of £80m Real paid for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.
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