Recently, Gareth Bale, who left Tottenham Hotspur for a world-record £86 million move to Real Madrid in 2013, said that the north London club has made a huge statement in hiring Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs following a dismal run of results across all competitions this season. The former Real Madrid boss is a high-profile manager and he is expected to make some blockbuster signings for Spurs.

Last month, reports emerged that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would sanction a big-money move for Bale in January. The 83-times capped Wales international has won four Champions League and a La Liga title with Madrid but his future at the club remains uncertain.

After Spurs lost 2-1 against Manchester United in the Premier League clash on Wednesday, Mourinho was asked whether he would like to have Bale in his squad. The Portuguese replied: “Come on, I don’t need to answer.”

In an ideal world, Bale could still return to Spurs.

However, getting a deal done for him is very difficult. Spurs have a strict wage structure in place and they cannot afford to break the bank on one player.

Bale earns in the region of £350,000-per-week in Madrid, and certainly, Spurs are not in a position to meet his wage demands.