When Spurs announced that the Welsh wizard, Gareth Bale was returning to North London after a lengthy seven-year spell in Spain with footballing powerhouse Real Madrid, Tottenham fans went wild.
In fact, he was probably the most covered Spurs transfer in history and it showed with fans packing out the entrance of Hotspur Way to catch a glimpse of the superstar upon his arrival.
However, we have yet to see the best of Bale since coming back to N17, which is likely due to him being starved of regular first-team football by Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane.
With a crucial winner against Brighton & Hove Albion being his only major contribution on the pitch, Bale without a doubt brings an abundance of positives to the club behind the scenes; something we as fans would not necessarily see.
Here is our list of five things that the man who was born to play for Spurs gives to the club.
Mentality
Over the years, Spurs have been accused of failing to adopt the correct mentality that is required to succeed at the very top of world football, something Jose Mourinho already seems eager to change and Bale is a key part of this transition.
Despite never being blessed with deep pockets like some Premier League clubs, Spurs’ ruthlessness and lack of nastiness on the field has been to blame for failing to capitalise in title challenges, big cup games and where it matters most.
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Bale has what it takes to change this up. Being able to grow into one of the worlds best attackers in a foreign league and under the immense pressure that playing for Real Madrid brings with it takes a special type of player.
His work ethic and win at all cost mindset is something that can be seen to be rubbing off on the current squad since his return.
Experience of Winning
It is safe to say Bale enjoyed the majority of his tenure in the Spanish capital as he was an integral part of the team that lifted four Champions Leagues, two league titles, two Super Cups, three Club World Cups, and the list goes on.
A major talking point whenever Spurs is mentioned is the lack of silverware from recent years, something the club has been within touching distance of ever since Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival.
Bale’s knowledge of what it takes to win the biggest of games in front of the whole world is crucial in the changing room, and something the club has never really possessed.
The winning experience is not something that comes around easily and having a born winner amongst the ranks can only breed positive things.
Development of younger players
Despite not being able to sprint around the field for the full 90 minutes like the Spurs faithful were so used to seeing throughout his first period at the club, Bale can bring an extra dynamic to the team such as showing the next generation of Tottenham attackers the ropes.
Bale has experience of playing anywhere across the front three, so for the likes of Jack Clarke, Dane Scarlett and J’Neil Bennett, all promising young talents, seeing the Wales international up close and training alongside him is an exceptional opportunity for their growth, not only as players on the field but as professionals away from it.
The Spurs global image
Bale making a comeback to North London was by far one of the most followed transfers of the summer window.
After playing for a team with such a vast worldwide fanbase, like Real, the attention around the player skyrockets to extreme levels and the spotlight was firmly fixed on Spurs for a couple of weeks.
Bale is now one of the most followed players on social media with well over 43 million people following his Instagram account, a staggering total when compared the official Spurs club account which has just 9 million.
His official announcement also made it onto the world-famous screens of New York’s Times Square.
The vast amount of attention surrounding Bale is phenomenal for the club and shows why he is such a huge signing for Spurs.
Inevitable on pitch class
The last point on this list, but certainly not least, is the importance of not forgetting what a great player Bale still is.
Despite not being a regular under Mourinho thus far, his cameo appearances in Europe and the Premier League show that he is still very much a part of Jose’s plans.
Once he has ramped himself back to full match fitness, the Spurs fans across the world can look forward to seeing what is one of the best attacking front three’s in world football; if not the best.
Heung Min Son, Harry Kane, and Gareth Bale is enough to send shivers down the very best of defenders’ spines.
Who knows… we could even see the Bale of old storm back onto the scene, only time will tell.
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