Gareth Bale: Jose Mourinho plays coy over Tottenham’s loan move for Real Madrid winger

Jose Mourinho played coy over Tottenham’s remarkable attempt to sign Gareth Bale on loan from Real Madrid.

Mourinho was addressing the media ahead of Spurs’ Europa League qualifier against Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Plovdiv, but was immediately questioned on speculation that chairman Daniel Levy is close to securing the 31-year-old’s return to north London.

Madrid are desperate to offload Bale’s exorbitant wages and are understood to have agreed to subsidise 50 per cent of the Welsh international’s salary.

Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, admitted his client “still loves Spurs” and it’s “where he want to be” as speculation mounted on Tuesday evening, before adding that a deal was “close but not done” on Wednesday morning.

Spurs are also set to sign Madrid full-back Sergio Reguilon for a fee of around £27m on a five-year deal that includes a buy-back clause.

However, Mourinho refused to stoke speculation, and said: "Gareth Bale is a Real Madrid player. I don't comment on players from other clubs.

"It's not my job to have contact with agents, I don't want to comment on that, especially on players at other clubs."

Bale joined Madrid from Spurs in 2013 for a then-world record £85m fee and has since gone on to win four Champions League titles.

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Gareth Bale transfer: Tottenham close to signing Real Madrid winger on loan