Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has said Real Madrid will decide whether Gareth Bale will spend another season on loan in north London.
Bale put his Madrid nightmare behind him to join Spurs on a one-year loan in September and there would be an option for a second.
The Welsh international’s recent return to form makes him an exciting proposition after a difficult first months at the club where he became the most expensive player in the world.
But Mourinho insists any chance of Bale, 31, remaining at Spurs for next season is in Madrid’s hands.
Good vibrations ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/nGeDUAludf
– Gareth Bale (@ GarethBale11) March 2, 2021
When asked if he would like to keep him in the next term, Mourinho said ahead of Thursday’s game at Fulham: “Regarding that you should contact your colleagues in Madrid and they should ask (Zinedine) Zidane because he is a Real Madrid player.
“He’s not a Tottenham player, so Real Madrid have it all in their hands. They have a player with a one-year contract and have the power in their hands.
“I just had a player on loan and I’m trying to get the most out of the Tottenham Hotspur player.
“We try to take care of the player we loaned for us but also the respect we have for the club that loaned the player.
“If you want to ask questions about Gareth’s future, ask your colleagues in Madrid to ask Zidane.”
Bale was an outcast under Zidane for much of his last two years in Spain and it impacted his return to Spurs.
It didn’t help that he arrived in September injured and the following months saw him regularly struggling with fitness issues, which left him on the bench for a slew of games.
Mourinho says the injuries have taken a mental toll on Bale, who is now happy in an environment he enjoys.
“It’s a very personal thing when a player has injuries, I think a player always has scars,” he added.
“And often scars aren’t just physical scars, they’re emotional scars. A player who has injuries until he is free and clean emotionally takes some time.
“You just have to be patient and in his case we didn’t do anything. We took care of him the best we could and will do so until the last day.
“So we put everything around him at his disposal. Supervisory staff, medical staff, sports science. And I believe the friends he has in the locker room play a role in his happiness.
“So he’s happy, but of course he lacks that happiness that comes with performing at a high level. Right now he is there, he is happy and clean and I hope we can manage his minutes, his games and his feelings.
“And I repeat that he is responsible, we give him this responsibility because he is the one who has the knowledge of his body and of course our communication is very, very good. And we are handling the situation as best we can.”
