SWAP SHOP Gareth Bale ‘in contact’ with Mourinho over shock return to Tottenham which could see Eriksen transfer to Real Madrid

GARETH BALE could make a sensational return to Tottenham in January after reportedly speaking to Jose Mourinho.

Posted Saturday, December 28, 2019 by Thesun.co.uk

Spanish publication El Desmarque claim Spurs are willing to offer wantaway Christian Eriksen and £25.7million to make the move happen.

SWAP SHOP Gareth Bale ‘in contact’ with Mourinho over shock return to Tottenham which could see Eriksen transfer to Real Madrid
Gareth Bale could return to Tottenham in January with Christian Eriksen going to Real Madrid

Bale, 30, was thrilled when Mourinho was appointed Tottenham boss in November.

He said: "Having Mourinho there is an amazing statement from the club, I think he's a serial winner.

"Tottenham want to win trophies and I don't think there's a better partnership than Mourinho and Tottenham together to try and win some trophies."

Bale almost left Real to play in the Chinese Super League this summer only for the transfer to be pulled at the last minute by Madrid chief Florentino Perez.

Now, any move to China looks off after the league introduced a £2million-a-year salary cap for foreign players.

Instead, the Welshman could be set for a shock return to the club he cut his teeth at.

And reports claim Eriksen could move the other way as part of a deal.

Eriksen exit

Eriksen, 27, is out of contract in the summer and is ready to quit Tottenham, with Real believed to be his ideal destination.

Madrid are likely to agree to the deal as Bale - whose market value has plummeted to just £34m - still has two-and-a-half-years left on his £600,000-a-week contract.

Bale has played just 13 times this season and fell out with fans after the keen golfer held up a banner on international duty reading: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order."

However, Mourinho this week warned fans Tottenham will not be "kings of the market" in January.

He said: "I am at Tottenham Hotspur. I know the profile of the club, I know the project, I know the vision, I know the objectives.

"I know that in our transfer market we are going just to react to things that can happen to us in the market. Like I was saying if some player leaves we need to adapt to it.

"But we are never going to be the kings of the market, attacking important targets, fighting with clubs that are ready by their profile and philosophy to splash the cash and to go to the important targets.

"We need to do our things in an intelligent way, a creative way, and I repeat I like the players that I have.

"The more I work with them, the more I know them, the more I realise their qualities and their problems.

"I keep saying that I need time and this time is arriving. Not from Sunday until the 26th, or the 26th until the 28th.

"But in January, in February, we are going to have a little bit more time to try to improve it."

SWAP SHOP Gareth Bale ‘in contact’ with Mourinho over shock return to Tottenham which could see Eriksen transfer to Real Madrid
Jose Mourinho could see Christian Eriksen move to Real Madrid in a swap deal for Gareth Bale Credit: EPA