Madrid captures Bale in a record £93 mn deal

If rumours are to be believed Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale will complete his move to Real Madrid on Friday. 
The 24-year-old has been a target for the Spanish giants throughout the summer, and the long-running saga over his world-record transfer is set to come to an end within 24 hours. The Wales international will become the world's most expensive player in a £93 million deal.

The previous world-record transfer fee was set when Real paid £80 million to Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in July 2009.  Real Madrid defender Fabio Coentrao is set to join Spurs as part of the deal.
Tottenham technical director Franco Baldini is currently in Madrid to finalise the move for Bale, which will also see Erik Lamela join the White Hart Lane club from AS Roma.
Bale joined Spurs from Southampton in 2007 and has scored 42 goals in 146 Premier League appearances for the White Hart Lane side.
Real want Bale to make his debut in the televised La Liga clash against Athletic Bilbao a week from Sunday. The report claims Bernabeu president Florentino Perez wants to maximise the arrival of Bale in the midday kickoff to television audiences in the Far East and Asia.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has been building his squad with the arrivals of players such as Roberto Soldado, Etienne Capoue, Paulinho and Nacer Chadli.
The North London club are also hoping to add Willian to their squad from Anzhi Makhachkala in a £30 million deal, which will take their spending during the current transfer window to almost £90 million. Spurs have recouped £23 million from the departures of Steven Caulker, Clint Dempsey, Scott Parker and Tom Huddlestone this summer.

Spur without Bale power in their opening salvo

Gareth Bale will miss Tottenham Hotspur's first Premier League game of the season, manager Andre Villas-Boas has revealed.

 The 24-year-old did not play for Wales in the international friendly against the Republic of Ireland this week due to a foot injury. When asked if Bale would play against Crystal Palace on Sunday,
Villas-Boas told Sky Sports the following: No, because he's been out injured for most of pre-season. He was involved in the games against Brentford and Swindon but not any others, for different reasons; pulled a muscle in his gluteus that prevented him from being involved for two weeks and he's been complaining of pain in the foot. For the most part, he has spent his time as the subject of persistent transfer rumours.
With the Real Madrid target now missing Tottenham's first league game of the season, speculation over the player's future is likely to escalate even more.
 A world-record fee of £85 million for the player had been suggested, as Sky Sportsreported, but Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has slapped a £105 million figure on Bale, according to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror. Levy has become concerned that Real do not have the funds available to finance the world-record move for the former Southampton man, according to Lewis. What's more, Real's public pursuit of Bale during the summer has angered Tottenham and manager Villas-Boas, as BBC Sport reported earlier this month. The White Hart Lane club will continue their efforts to persuade Bale to stay at the club. They have already spent £50 million on Paulinho, Roberto Soldado and Nacer Chadli, while BBC Sport broke the news on Thursday morning that Etienne Capoue has completed his £9 million move from Toulouse. 

Moving forward, Spurs are seeking even more new arrivals before the transfer window closes on Sept. 2, according to Tony Banks of Express. That includes targets of Erik Lamela from Roma, Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen and Willian of Anzhi Makhachkala.