Tottenham Fan: Bale Signs Four-year Extension with Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur supporters won't have to worry about the future of Gareth Bale; at least for now.

 Spurs announced via the club's official website on Wednesday that Bale has signed a four-year extension that, on paper, keeps him at White Hart Lane until 2016. Bale, who will turn 23-years old this July, offered the following quotes for the website story regarding his new deal: "I love the Club and the fans and I want to play my part in trying to get us back into the Champions League - where we belong. We've a good, young squad and we need to work together to get back on the biggest stage again." While speaking to the Tottenham website for a different story, Bale made his expectations for the 2012-13 team very clear. "The main thing is that we qualify for the Champions League and try to replicate our form from the first half of last season, when we were right up there challenging for the title," Bale said. "Everyone wants that. On a personal level, I just want to improve on last season. Every player wants to do better and that's my target."

 Bale become a lineup mainstay back in 2010, and he has since evolved into one of the best wingers in the world. The 2011 PFA Player of the Year had another solid campaign during 2011-12, the personal highlight of which was probably being named Barclays Player of the Month for January. It was right around that time, ironically, when Bale was slowed down by a nagging ankle injury. It's been speculated that Bale didn't enjoy a return to full fitness until after the team's dreadful spring that saw them lose a double-digit lead in the league table over rivals Arsenal.

 Questions regarding Bale's future with the club began to surface back at the end of May, weeks before manager Harry Redknapp was sacked. Initial reports following Redknapp's dismissal claimed that Bale was less than pleased with the decision made by team chairman Daniel Levy. Levy promised fans in an end-of-season address that he had no intentions of selling off his star players this summer, and Wednesday's announcement was one step toward keeping that promise.

 Discussions about Bale potentially departing for a club such as Barcelona or Real Madrid will likely reappear this time next year regardless of where Tottenham finish in the league table. His new four-year contract sends a clear message to such "big money clubs" that acquiring the extremely talented winger next summer will come at a significant price. It was reported last January that Spurs placed a £150m price-tag on Bale to ward off interest from the previously mentioned Spanish giants and from Manchester City. Spurs may be forced to make similar demands next summer if the club again fails to earn Champions League football next season.