Premier League: Gareth Bale flies to England to complete loan move

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is reportedly flying to England to complete the final stages of his loan move to Tottenham Hotspur. The Welshman is expected to join the Premier League side on a one-year deal but negotiations are still being finalised.

The La Liga champions and Bale's former club still need to iron out some details but all the latest reports indicate that the controversial player will be travelling today. However, anything can still happen until an official announcement is made. It may be remembered that Bale had previously said that the Spanish giants are making it difficult for him to leave.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is the last person to jump on the speculations. As of Thursday, BBC quoted him saying that he does not want to speak about the possible transfer. "Until I'm told Bale is a Tottenham player, I still think and feel and respect the fact he's a Real Madrid player," he said.

However, Mourinho did reveal that he had wanted to sign Bale even during his time as Real Madrid coach. "I tried to sign him for Real Madrid, which was not possible to do during my time there. But the president followed my instinct and my knowledge and the season I left he brought Gareth to the club. It's not a secret, even Gareth knows that," he said.

A move back to Tottenham is the most feasible prospect for Bale at the moment despite initially indicating that he plans to stay at Real Madrid for the remaining two years of his contract. However, head coach Zinedine Zidane has made it clear that the Welshman does not figure in his future plans any longer. As such, Real Madrid has been left with a very expensive player that they are unable to maximise.

While all parties involved want to find a solution, Bale's massive price tag has proven to be an almost insurmountable hurdle. He moved to the Spanish capital on a world record deal worth £85m in 2013, and Real Madrid is not willing to simply let him leave for a menial fee. However, with the coronavirus pandemic dealing even the richest clubs with a massive financial blow, it appears that a loan deal is the only available alternative.

It is believed that Real Madrid defender Sergio Reguilon is also making his way to England to join the Spurs.