Tottenham 'unlikely to extend Gareth Bale's loan for a second season'

Gareth Bale could be set for a return to Real Madrid as Tottenham are ‘not considering’ a second loan move for the striker.

The Welshman completed a return to north London on loan in September but has struggled to maintain a consistent level of fitness.

Having only played 161 minutes of Premier League football since his return, Tottenham are reluctant to extend his stay at the club.

According to The Times, Tottenham have no plans in place to offer the striker a new loan deal at the club after a series of injuries have prevented him from reaching his potential.

Bale's inconsistent fitness has stopped him from recreating the form that made him the talk of world football before a move to Los Blancos in 2013.

Upon his arrival, Bale was ruled out of action for almost a month with a knee issue - before eventually making his debut against West Ham after 72 minutes.

Bale did, however, show a glimpse of his former self when he scored his first goal back on November 1 against Brighton.

The striker failed to continue such form, scoring just two goals - against LASK and the Potters - since.

Bale is currently nursing another injury - having sustained a calf problem that saw him withdrawn at half-time in the Carabao Cup quarter-final victory at Stoke.

Bale may have struggled to impress Spurs boss Jose Mourinho on the pitch, but the manager is said to be pleased with Bale’s 'attitude' and 'character'.

Nevertheless, his characteristics off the pitch have not been enough to warrant a new contract at the club.

Bale will be reluctant to return to Real Madrid, having fallen of favour under Zinedine Zidane.

Bale only played 48 minutes of the 12 games he was available for when the Spanish season resumed after lockdown.

Bale often looked uninterested when sitting on the bench after Spanish football returned in June.

He was pictured pretending to sleep in the stands on one occasion, before pretending to look through a telescope with a roll of wrist tape.

Zidane also accused Bale of not wanting to play in the Champions League last-16 second leg against Manchester City - to which Bale responded furiously.

As a result, Zidane - who is looking to break the bank once the 2020-21 season is over - could sell Bale when he returns to the club.

Bale, who is contracted to Real until June 2022, is currently earning an eye-watering £650,000 a week.

Should Real get Bale off their books, they will reduce their wage bill by a significant amount - giving themselves the opportunity to make several purchases.