Modric urges team-mate to join him at Madrid

Luka Modric wants former Spurs team-mate Gareth Bale to join him at Real Madrid next season.

The former Tottenham midfielder wants Bale to play alongside him and Cristiano Ronaldo in a midfield he describes as "unstoppable".

"It would be amazing for Gareth to come and play for Real Madrid," said Modric.

“I play with Ronaldo here at Real and the way he just runs with the ball with such confidence and defenders back off him is exactly the same as Gareth.

"It would be even better than now to have Ronaldo and Bale on the wings for Madrid. And it could make Gareth an even better player. For me, they are the best two wingers in the world.

“To have the both in the same team would be unstoppable.



The 27-year-old Croatian added: "I think he can do it. He is certainly good enough to play at the highest level. I hope he will come to us. He's a top player."

Modric, who joined the Spanish giants at the start of the season in a deal worth £33m, revealed that he and Bale often spoke of playing at a higher level when playing together at White Hart Lane.

“We used to talk and I know he wants to play Champions League football every season and has a big dream of winning the Champions League.

“Madrid would be a great club for him to achieve his dreams."

Bale's form, which has made him one of the most feared players in the Premier League, will make it difficult for Spurs club to hold on to their prize asset and manager Andre Villas-Boas has conceded as much.

"At the moment he is performing extremely well for Spurs and we are amazed at what he can do for us. He is on to a great career," Villas-Boas said.

"Obviously Tottenham as a football club want to keep him here for as long as we can but we understand players like this have propositions and a market which is the nature of the game."

Wednesday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Tottenham winger Gareth Bale will soon be playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid, former Wales player Mickey Thomas has told BBC Sport.



- Luka Modric has revealed that he wants Gareth Bale to join him at Real Madrid. Spurs winger Bale, 23, has emerged as one of the most sought-after players in world football.



- Ashley Cole could be set to stay in the Premier League after PSG closed the door on a move. Manchester rivals City and United have been keeping an eye on Cole's situation.



- The agent of versatile Arsenal defender Johan Djourou admits his client could be sent out on loan in January.



- Continued speculation linking Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao with a January move to Chelsea or Manchester City has left club president Enrique Cerezo "really angry."



- Liverpool are ready to step up their interest in Palermo playmaker Josip Ilicic in January, according to Calciomercato.



- Hamburg winger Son Heung-Min, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, has emerged as a target for Borussia Dortmund, according to Bild.



- Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers could further his youth revolution with a swoop for Dutch hotshot Jurgen Locadia, according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.



- Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is open to the idea of a January switch to Juventus, according to Italian newspaper Tuttosport.



- Chelsea youngster Gael Kakuta is attracting interest from Anderlecht, according to talkSPORT.



- Manchester City's hopes of signing Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi could be dashed by former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti.



- Swansea City are considering reviving their interest in ADO Den Haag midfielder Jens Toornstra, reports Voetbal International.



- Inter Milan have joined Liverpool and Everton in the chase to sign Germany starlet Lewis Holtby, according to Sky Sport 24.



- Arsenal and Tottenham could be set to cash in on stories of money troubles at Sevilla - with January moves for Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo, according to talkSPORT.



- Brazilian outfit Corinthians have rubbished reports suggesting they would listen to a big-money offer from Chelsea for Paulinho.



- The agent of Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marcelo Brozovic claims his client is interesting Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and a number of clubs in Italy.



- Sky Sports understands Bristol City have signed former Bolton defender Nathan Battersby on a short-term deal.

Bale nets as Spurs trump New York

Gareth Bale was on the scoresheet as Tottenham completed their USA pre-season tour with a comeback victory over the New York Red Bulls on Tuesday.

Bale, who was left on crutches following a challenge from Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam in Saturday's goalless draw against their Premier League rivals, started the friendly and headed home a 58th-minute equaliser to cancel out Kenny Cooper's early penalty for the hosts.



New signing Gylfi Sigurdsson then curled in a superb match-winning strike seven minutes after Bale's goal to give Andre Villas-Boas' men a 2-1 win at Red Bull Arena.



The Red Bulls took the lead in the eighth minute when Tim Cahill, making his debut for the Major League Soccer side following his move from Everton, went crashing in the box under a challenge from new Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen and Cooper slotted home the resulting spot-kick.



Spurs went in search of an equaliser before the break and Bale and Tom Huddlestone both drew fine saves from New York goalkeeper Bill Gaudette, who then produced a brilliant one-handed stop to tip over Aaron Lennon's effort in the 53rd minute.



Gaudette was helpless to prevent Bale drawing the teams level five minutes later though as the Wales winger climbed high above his marker to glance Sigurdsson's corner into the back of the net.



Sigurdsson then sealed the win with a fine effort, the Iceland international working his way into the box before cutting inside Markus Holgersson and curling an unstoppable shot into the far top corner.



Spurs also hit the crossbar through Michael Dawson following another Sigurdsson corner soon after as Villas-Boas men signed off their US tour with a deserved victory.



New York Red Bulls 1 –2 Tottenham Longer highlights

Bale angry with Liverpool ace

Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has criticised Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam for his challenge in a friendly game between the teams on Sunday.

Bale was left on crutches after he was clattered by the Scotland international during the 0-0 draw in Baltimore.

It is the second time Adam has forced Bale out of action, following on from an incident in May 2011 when the Spurs ace sustained ankle ligament damage which kept him out of action for three months.

Adam previously fouled Bale badly while at Blackpool

Bale said: "He's a bit of a coward. What he did was over the top. Some people are like that and it's just wrong.

"It's flattering when players try to take you out in a game but, when it threatens your career it becomes more serious than that."

Bale is still irked with the former Rangers player after being on the receiving end of that previous challenge when Adam was at Blackpool.

"There are pictures on the internet of what he did before when he snapped all my ankle ligaments," Bale added. "I was out for three months that time. He's come for me twice now - and he's got me twice.



"When someone makes a very bad tackle on you, you expect an apology. I've had no apology. And I'm not going to accept his apology."



Video Adam foul on Bale

Video: Gareth Bale injury againts blackpool by Adam 

Uploaded by karonithanta

FA won't ask for Bale ban

Team GB coach Stuart Pearce and the English FA will not complain over Gareth Bale's participation for Tottenham in a friendly match, meaning he will not be banned from playing for his club by FIFA until August 12.



Bale scored as Spurs drew 1-1 with LA Galaxy during their American tour on Tuesday, but had previously been withdrawn from GB coach Stuart Pearce's squad for the Olympics because of injury.



That led FIFA president Sepp Blatter to claim that Bale could be banned for playing for Tottenham during the Olympic Games if the FA lodges a complaint.



The FA and British Olympic Association did not initially comment on his appearance for Andre Villas-Boas' side, but Blatter said: "The principle is that if a club does not release a player, then an association can come to FIFA and we will then ban this player during the Olympics.



"So far, nobody has come to FIFA [to complain about Bale] - but it is a possibility that we could ban these players if they are not at the disposal of the national team.



"They [a football association] complain and then we say: 'Let this player go or he cannot play for the club.' FIFA's position has never been so clear as it is now for the Olympics 2012 and 2016."



But Bale will escape a ban as an FA insider then told ESPN: "I don't believe we are going to lodge a compliant with FIFA, I would say the answer to that is no. The Olympic GB team met up many weeks ago, and it doesn't mean to say that the player was not unfit when we selected the squad in the first place."



The Welsh winger insisted he had recovered from his injury "well ahead of schedule" justifying, in Spurs' eyes, the initial decision to withdraw him from Pearce's GB squad and the subsequent decision to play him in Tuesday's friendly..



Bale played 74 minutes of the match against Galaxy, and Villas-Boas said: "Gareth is extremely young and physically a beast, so he was able to put on the effort.



"We extended [his time] because we want him to complete a certain amount of minutes before we start the season."



Speaking after the match, Bale told Tottenham's official website: "It was a good workout. It was one that I needed, and it was good to get a goal as well.



"My rehab's gone very well at the club - we are well ahead of schedule. It's important to get a pre-season under my belt for the forthcoming season, so I am delighted to be back now without any problems."

Bale out for Olympics

Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale has suffered an injury which will rule him out of this summer's London Olympics, according to reports.



The Wales winger was expected to be one of the main attractions in Stuart Pearce's Team GB squad when the Games get under way.



But Bale, who on Wednesday signed a new contract at Tottenham, is understood to have aggravated an old back and hip injury while on a personal training run to stay fit for the Olympics.



The setback will come as a major blow to Spurs as they prepare for the start of the Premier League season at Newcastle on 18th August.



And, more immediately, Bale's absence will come as greater setback to Pearce, who is expected to name his Team GB squad on Monday.



Team GB have been drawn in Group A for the Games and will begin their campaign against Senegal on 26th July before taking on United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.



Pearce has already caused huge debate by surprisingly deciding to omit Olympic ambassador and former England captain David Beckham from his squad.



Instead, Manchester United's Ryan Giggs, Liverpool's Craig Bellamy and Manchester City's Micah Richards are understood to have been preferred as the three overage players for the Under-23 tournament.



Beckham said on Thursday of his omission in a statement: "Everyone knows how much playing for my country has always meant to me.



"So I would have been honoured to have been part of this unique Team GB squad.



"Naturally I am very disappointed but there will be no bigger supporter of the team than me. And like everyone, I will be hoping they can win the gold."

New Spurs deal for Bale

Gareth Bale has signed a new four-year contract at Tottenham, the Barclays Premier League club have announced.



The Wales winger has committed himself to White Hart Lane until 2016, ending speculation over his future amid interest from rival clubs at home and abroad.



"The club is progressing and I want to be a part of that, so it was great to get the deal done," Bale told Tottenham's official website.



Barcelona and Real Madrid were among the clubs linked with Bale, who is willing to remain at Tottenham despite their failure to qualify for the Champions League. Spurs finished fourth in the Premier League last season but missed out on Europe's top club competition after Chelsea won the trophy.



Bale, 22, is determined to help bring Champions League football back to White Hart Lane.



"I've been here for five years now and I've enjoyed every minute," he said.



"The fans have been great to me and I'd love to re-pay them and do the very best for them.



"The club is progressing and I want to be a part of that, so it was great to get the deal done.



"I love the club and the fans and I want to play my part in trying to get us back into the Champions League - where we belong.



"We have a good, young squad and we need to work together to get back on the biggest stage."

Barca 'can't afford' Bale

Barcelona will be priced out of a move for Gareth Bale, according to his agent.

Speculation over the Tottenham winger's future has intensified in the hours since Harry Redknapp's exit from White Hart Lane.

But the good news for Spurs supporters is that a £40m asking price will force Barca to look elsewhere for a left-sided player.

Agent Jonathan Barnett said: "I think it's too expensive for the club. To my knowledge, Barcelona have not made any offer for him.

"If interested, they would have to put money on the table and then start talking. But it seems that the club is working on the signing of Jordi Alba, a cheaper option."



Bale signed a long-term deal earlier this year, but Barnett reckons the lure of Champions League football away from Spurs may prove too strong.

He said: "Yes, it is clear that this is a problem."