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Gareth Bale hasn’t lived up to his Tottenham billing

Gareth Bale might not have been afforded the ticker-tape homecoming in front of a packed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium he surely would have have received in normal, non-Covid-19 times, but the excitement around the Welshman’s return to North London could still be felt last summer.

As one of the greatest players in Spurs’ history, big things were expected. Bale’s fitness was a concern, but many spoke of how it was only a matter of time until he’d get up to speed. Four months on, though, and the 31-year-old has still only started one Premier League match this season, coming off the bench just three times.

Bale has had to make do with appearances in the Europa League and the cup competitions. He was left on the bench for the full 90 minutes of the 3-1 away win over Sheffield United on Saturday and will almost certainly be left out of the starting lineup for the crunch match against Liverpool at the end of the month.

Of course, Bale is only at Spurs on a season-long loan from Real Madrid. Tottenham have an option to extend the winger’s loan stay by another year, but on the basis of what they have seen so far, why would they? Enough time has now passed to make a judgement on Bale’s performances and he hasn’t done anywhere near enough.

“You know that he arrived injured,” Jose Mourinho attempted to reason last week. “And he was injured before, I believe, the first month. And then, step by step, Europa League matches were helping him to get his condition. Premier League of course. Europa League group phase is a different level than the Premier League. The knock-out is a different story. But the group phase is a different intensity, a different rhythm, a different quality.”

If Mourinho, however, truly believed Bale’s only issue was a lack of fitness he would surely be making more of an effort to get minutes into the Welsh winger’s legs. Instead, Bale has only been afforded the odd cameo appearance off the bench and a handful of starts in the cup competitions weeks apart.

There have been glimpses of the old brilliance. Every so often, there is a reminder of why Bale was once considered one of the best in the world. Of why he broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s world record transfer fee. But Gareth Bale hasn’t been the match winner Tottenham surely hoped he would be this season. He has contributed sparsely to the club’s Premier League title challenge.

While the exact terms of Bale’s loan agreement have never been officially published, there is widespread agreement Real Madrid are subsidising the Welshman’s wages. Nonetheless, Gareth Bale will still be among the top earners at Tottenham this season. Are the North London club getting good value for their money?

An element of sentimentality formed the basis of Tottenham’s move for Bale last summer, but the club has a duty to be level-headed in its analysis of whether it’s worthwhile keeping the player around for another season. Daniel Levy is known for his shrewdness in the transfer market. He must listen to his head over his heart when making a decision on Bale’s future.

Bale has been one of the best players of his generation. It could even be argued he reached heights never before reached by a British player as a four-times Champions League winner for the most successful club in European football. But he is now a shadow of his former self. Bale’s body simply cannot sustain him anymore.

The pang of sentimentality almost made Gareth Bale returning to Spurs worthwhile regardless of his performances, but Mourinho has been right to leave him out. And Levy would be right to shake the Welshman’s hand and send him back to the Spanish capital at the end of the season.

 


 

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