Real Madrid to make £65m bid for Gareth Bale

London: Daniel Levy’s determination to hold on to Gareth Bale will be tested by a staggering £65 million (Dh362 million) bid from Real Madrid.

The Tottenham chairman will have to resist a massive summer offer from the Spanish giants after rivals Barcelona finally captured Santos forward Neymar on a five-year deal on Sunday.

Real accept they will have to spend big to land Bale and will accelerate their plans to land the Spurs and Wales talisman.

Although Real had an interest in Neymar, the Brazil forward signed a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona a year ago. After Barca comfortably won La Liga this season, Real are making significant funds available for a summer spending spree for their next coach, Carlo Ancelotti.

Although Spurs are already in negotiations with Bale over an improved contract worth around £170,000 a week, Real are ready with the transfer fee.

They regard the Wales international as one of the world’s outstanding players and will formalise their bid at the end of the season in Spain. Outgoing coach Jose Mourinho is not involved in any of Real’s transfer projects and it is all taking place over his head.

Real president Florentino Perez wants Bale at the Bernabeu and his key adviser Zinedine Zidane confirmed Real’s interest in the player on Friday.

Bale won the grand slam of Player of the Year awards last season, scooping the Football Writers’ Association accolade, both PFA prizes and the Barclays Premier League honour.

The Tottenham forward has always made it clear that he is happy at White Hart Lane, but admitted last season he would consider his future this summer.

At 23, his playing career is in front of him, but there is a lingering feeling that a player of his undoubted talent should be playing Champions League football.

Bale scored 21 goals in the Premier League last season, his best return after six years at Spurs.

Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas admitted Champions League football was the key to keeping Bale at White Hart Lane in the last few weeks of the season. That attitude changed when Tottenham slipped to fifth but the head coach insisted he is certain the forward will remain at the club.