Gareth Bale has given Tottenham fans hope that he could one day return to the club from Real Madrid after admitting he is still a Spurs fan.
Bale became one of the world's best wingers in north London before leaving Spurs for the Bernabeu in the summer of 2013 for what was then a world-record transfer of £86million.
But Bale's future in the Spanish capital remains uncertain with manager Zinedine Zidane still unsure if the Welshman has what it takes to be a regular starter for his side.
A return to Spurs was an option in January but Bale's wages proved too costly. But he has now hinted he would be open to a move back because of his affection for the club.
In an appearance on BT Sport's Throwbacks programme, where he discussed Spurs losing in last season's Champions League final, Bale said: 'Everybody loves tuning in to watch the Champions League final, and obviously Tottenham were there so I had a very keen interest, I was hoping they'd get to the final like they did.
'They had some great matches on the way, obviously in the semi-final.
'For us Tottenham fans it was a bit disappointing in the final, but you have to look at the bigger picture.
'They did great to get there and gave a good account of themselves.'
Reports emerged around deadline day in January that Bale was in talks to return to Spurs but nothing came of negotiations regarding the 30-year-old.
Bale is contracted to Real until 2022 and being paid £500,000 per week, which would always pose a problem for Tottenham, who are known to keep a tight grip on their wage bill.
It was even reported that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy travelled to Madrid for talks with his Real Madrid counterpart Florentino Perez.
Last summer he nearly headed to China to play for Jiangsu Suning - one of the few clubs that could afford his salary - but the transfer broke down.
But it emerged earlier this week that Bale will be staying put this summer as they put off signing any galacticos while coronavirus takes its toll on the club's finances.
Although the 30-year-old Welshman would likely draw a hefty sum, Madrid want to hang on to him for now as they make preparations for a season without a major acquisitions, according to The Sun.