Analysing the Transfer Gossip – 19th July: Part One

Tottenham are set to ignore any bids from Manchester United for 24-year-old forward Gareth Bale.

Full story: London Evening Standard

What’s the story? Spurs don’t feel under any pressure to sell Bale seeing as he has four years left on his contract and they are trying to surround him with players to get back in to the top four, or even a title push.Does it make sense? Yes. Spurs need to give themselves another season to try and get back to the Champions League. If they fail to do so next summer then they could have a tough time keeping Bale but for the time being they are doing everything they need to do to keep him.Is the price right? Real Madrid were supposedly going to bid £80m earlier in the summer but that turned out to be fantasy. There isn’t really a fee that could allow them to sell right now. They need to keep him and make a run for the top four, it’ll be more valuable to them in the long run.Will it happen? 2/10 – It might still do if Man United anti up enough money, but I think this is one to shelve for next year.