GARETH BALE was just as direct in his approach when he met Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy as when he goes for goal.
The Wales international had questions to ask and demanded straight answers when he came face-to-face with Levy earlier this month.
Bale was in no mood to hang about, in no mood to play games — and in no mood to take ‘no’ for an answer.
He wanted to know why Spurs were reneging on an understanding to let him move on if a ‘mind- blowing’ offer came in.
Real had dropped a bid of £81million on the Tottenham table only to be told it was in the bin almost as soon as it landed.
It is claimed in Spanish paper Marca — acknowledged as a mouthpiece for Madrid — that Bale told Levy: “You made me a promise. You promised me if we didn’t qualify for the Champions League and a good offer turned up, you’d listen to it.
“Well, that offer has arrived and I want to play for Real Madrid. So keep your word and negotiate.”
If a world-record £81m offer was not a ‘mind-blowing’ offer, then nothing was to a player who is under contract until 2016.
On offer at Real Madrid are wages of around £160,000 a week for the next six years — £2m a year more than the new deal Spurs are putting together.
But it is not money that is motivating Bale — just a burning desire to compete at the highest possible level.
The Welsh wizard has become the hottest property in football following a sensational season in which he scored outstanding, match-changing goals that wowed the world.
He wants to parade his skills on the biggest stage possible and play with the finest global superstars.
While he has much to thank Tottenham for, he is adamant the time is right to move on.
And now it has become a war of wills between two men.
Chairman Levy has built a reputation as one of the toughest contract negotiators in the game but Bale was not intimidated when they met. As frank meetings go, this was one of the toughest.
There was no way Levy was going to settle for £81m and sources close to Bale have suggested the chairman will hold out for at least double.
Levy has played Russian roulette before when transferring some of Tottenham’s biggest stars and has always managed to squeeze out the best-possible deal.
When Dimitar Berbatov was sold to Manchester United for £30m, the Old Trafford board is understood to have asked to ‘factor’ the deal. It is a legal term for paying for expensive goods in instalments.
But Levy demanded — and got — the money in one hit.
Tottenham played hardball with Berba because it was claimed he was ready to go on strike unless he got his move to United.
Fans did not like the mercurial striker being sold on, they wanted Tottenham to prove they could resist big offers.
But when a player is determined to bail out, there is nothing to stop them.
After the drawn-out saga with Berbatov, former Spurs midfielder Luka Modric insisted he had a gentleman’s agreement that he could leave White Hart Lane if a substantial offer came in from a big club.
The Croatian midfielder eventually moved to Real Madrid for £30m after two offers from Chelsea were rejected.
Modric has consistently called for Bale to join him at the Bernabeu, much to the annoyance of back-room staff at the Lane.
Like Berbatov and Modric before him, it is understood Bale has also made it clear to Levy that he no longer sees his future in North London.
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