Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gareth Bale said on Monday (July 8) that he wants to keep improving and help the club make it into the Champions League.

Spurs missed out on the coming season's competition after faltering towards the end of the last campaign and finishing in fifth place, one point behind arch rivals Arsenal who took the fourth and last spot.

Keeping Bale at the club has been a priority for Spurs coach Andre Villas-Boas amid much media speculation about the Wales internationals future.

His appearance at the launch party for Spurs new kit will be seen as the clearest indication yet that he will remain at White Hart Lane.

Bale scored 26 goals last season and said at the launch that he wants to keep developing as a player to help Spurs bid for a Champions League berth.

"I'm hoping to improve from last season, I think every season I want to keep improving, want to become a better player, I have more experience now. For me I need to keep working hard on the training pitch and on game days and hopefully progress as a player again and become even better," he said.

"I think everybody in the club wants us to finish in the top four, I think the club wants to be in the top four and yes, we need to go one better than this (last) season."

The club have dipped into the transfer market, signing powerful Brazil midfielder Paulinho for a fee reported to be around 17 million pounds.

The 24-year-old, who scored 34 goals in 167 games for Sao Paulo-based Corinthians, shone in Brazil's winning Confederations Cup campaign last month.

"I haven't seen too much of him," admitted Bale, "I've seen him in the Confederations Cup and he seems a very good player. Hopefully he can come in, hit the ground running, and be a massive bonus for us."

Presented by Adam Justice