The Mail on Sunday Chief Sports Writer Oliver Holt believes that Tottenham Hotspur summer arrival Gareth Bale, at the worst, will be a bit-part player whose career has been ravaged by injuries and that he won’t be able to recreate the magic at N17.

The Wales international rejoined Spurs on a season-long loan from Real Madrid last week, returning to North London since leaving in the summer of 2013 for a then world-record £85 million.

Bale isn’t set to make his second debut as soon as Tottenham fans would have wanted as he is currently undergoing a special fitness program having spent a large chunk of last season on the sidelines.

The 31-year-old made 19 appearances across the La Liga and Champions League last term, starting 13 of them and having a hand in just four goals.

Holt believe he will, at the best, be will be a more central, creative player, but Spurs legend Graham Roberts doesn’t agree with the take of the Daily Mail’s journalist, reacting thus to it on Twitter:

@OllieHolt22 I think you are totally underestimating @GarethBale11 and his desire and motivation for a club who means very much to him. As for your bit part player you are very wrong imo and you will see very soon!

— Graham Roberts (@GrahamRoberts4) September 23, 2020

Have you not seen Jameś Rodríguez’s last 2 performances Oliver

— Trevor Sinclair (@trevor8sinclair) September 23, 2020

No one knows the type of Bale Spurs will be getting this time around, but Tottenham fans and even boss Jose Mourinho are very delighted to have him at the side.

The winger has proven himself at Madrid, turning up in their biggest games, and it will be interesting to see whether the four-time Champions League winner can replicate the form that saw him bag 105 goals in 251 appearances for the La Liga giants at N17.