Real Madrid in talks to buy Gareth Bale

BARCELONA - Real Madrid are in talks to buy Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gareth Bale, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Wednesday, amid widespread speculation that the Wales international is poised to move to Spain for a world-record fee.

“It is difficult to talk about Bale because, at the moment, he is not a Real Madrid player,” Ancelotti said at Real’s training camp in Los Angeles.

“I believe the club is in talks to find a solution and we will see what happens,” said the Italian, adding that he had not spoken to Bale. “I am not used to talking about players who are not on my team and it would not be right to do so.”

According to media reports in Spain and England, Real are leading the chase for Bale and are prepared to offer Spurs what would be a world-record fee of ￡85 million ($129 million) for the 24-year-old.

It would eclipse the fee of about $125 million that Real agreed to pay Manchester United for Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said on Friday the club had opened new contract talks with Bale and were confident of keeping him.

He signed a four-year deal last year and had an outstanding season, although the Spurs missed out on a Champions League place by one point.

Real, which qualified for Europe’s elite club competition by finishing second behind Barcelona in La Liga, are rebuilding under Ancelotti after a trophyless season with Jose Mourinho, who left to rejoin Tottenham’s Premier League rivals, Chelsea.

Reuters