Player’s agent refuses to deny that Levy made trip to Madrid during transfer window

Gareth Bale was heavily linked with a sensational return to Tottenham Hotspur on transfer deadline day.

The Times reported on Friday that there was growing confidence among Spurs officials that they could bring him back to North London before the transfer window closed.

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane had earlier dismissed the speculation by insisting that Bale is still a valued member of his squad despite not including the Welshman in the side which beat rivals Atletico (Mirror).

Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett had previously put the final nail in the rumour mill coffin by describing the rumours to the Daily Mail as “cr*p”.

He has now elaborated on the speculation by denying that there was ever an approach made from the Champions League finalists.

Barnett stopped short of dismissing the fact that Daniel Levy had travelled to Madrid whilst insisting that Bale’s financial demands make him an unrealistic proposition for many clubs.

He told talkSPORT: “No,

“[Levy] may have [visited Madrid], it’s not for me to say whether he did or didn’t.

“Gareth is very happy over there.

“And let’s be realistic: for most clubs he is out of their league, financially.

“It is all well and good to say, ‘give up that money and go and play somewhere else’, but it is not all about money. It is about his lifestyle and his children, who have grown up in Madrid.”

Barnett also poured cold water on the chances of Bale re-joining Spurs when his contract ends in 2022, he added: “I don’t think so, no,”

“He’s in a very fortunate position.

“When his contract is up hopefully he will sit down with me and his family and decide what he wants to do”