Tottenham Transfer Rumours: Spurs Must Cash in on Gareth Bale Right Now

Everybody has their price, no matter what Daniel Levy believes.

According to the Guardian's David Hytner, Gareth Bale is ready to pack his bags and move to Spain. Real Madrid continue to sniff around the Welshman, suggesting one of the summer's biggest transfer sagas could end with a momentus move. Hytner indicates Bale is pushing for the deal, which throws up a pivotal turning point in the story's timeline:

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Gareth Bale has been left distraught by the refusal of Daniel Levy, the Tottenham Hotspur chairman, to consider a world record €100m – £86.3m – offer from Real Madrid.

Real have made their move for their long-time target and Bale is determined to complete the transfer. He wants to play Champions League football, which Tottenham cannot offer after they finished fifth in the Premier League last season, but the allure of Real runs some way deeper.

Bale recognises Real as one of the world's leading clubs, capable of competing for the grandest prizes. In the event of leaving Tottenham, whom he joined from Southampton in 2007, he has always dreamed of playing for the Bernabeu club.

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As the Daily Telegraph's Paul Hayward tweets, such an offer underlines the tremendous evolution of Bale's career:

For Levy, Real Madrid's prolonged interest is nothing more than an unwelcome headache. The Spurs chairman has backed himself into a corner across the past two years through his dealings with the La Liga side, and as the 2013-14 season approaches, Carlo Ancelotti can be confident of adding Bale to his growing line of superstars.

When Luka Modric exchanged North London for the Spanish capital back in 2012, Spurs released official confirmation of a curious partnership, as reported by the Daily Mail:

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The club can announce that it has signed a partnership agreement with Real Madrid FC and reached an agreement for the transfer of Luka Modric, subject to medical, to the Spanish club.

The partnership agreement will see the two clubs working together in respect of players, coaching, best practices and commercial relationships.

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Twelve months down the line, Spurs fans are yet to see any visible impact of the agreement that doesn't involve one of their top players getting poached.

Madrid hassled, prodded and poked until Modric was sold, despite Levy once saying he was not available at any price. Unfortunately for Spurs followers, the same patterns are emerging throughout Bale's saga that is only destined to end with one conclusion.

Levy has puffed his chest out before.

He likes to think he is in control of the situation, but when huge sums of money are chucked his way, he exhales under the pressure. By selling Modric to Madrid, Levy set a precedent that will ultimately see Spurs lose their most explosive player since David Ginola. Levy has already buckled once, and upon signing an agreement with Madrid, will be forced to cower at the club's feet over and over again.

Sure, Spurs may eventually get one or two decent Madrid players out of the deal. If Levy thinks Florentino Perez will ever let his main men travel to White Hart Lane, he is sorely mistaken. As reported by the Express, once Tottenham's potential interest in Jese Rodriguez made the rounds, Los Blancos quickly signed the 20-year-old starlet to a new four-year deal.

Although Jese's arrival could have been an exciting sweetener in the Bale deal, Madrid once again bat away any Spurs initiative with a quick decision. A cash agreement is now preferable for Andre Villas-Boas, who continues to strengthen the Premier League club with impressive signings such as Paulinho and Nacer Chadli.

While Levy can undoubtedly eek more money out of the Spanish giants, now is the time to sell Bale. The player's stock is at an all-time high. As recorded by Whoscored.com, last season's 24 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances places him amongst the most precious players in Europe.

He is ripping through defences, scoring an endless amount of corkers and continuing to play a major role in Spurs' quest for Champions League football.

Madrid's interest isn't going to vanish. If Bale produces a poorer 13- or 14-goal season, they will still come back for him. Unfortunately for Levy, it will be for a lesser price. The chairman failed to hold out for a loftier sum before and once rejected a £38 million bid for Modric. He was eventually sold for around £30 million, as confirmed by BBC Sport.

With Bale, the numbers will be more dramatic if he fails to continue his terrific form. There is no shame in Levy accepting a world-record offer. Such a sum would significantly add to Spurs' transfer fund and help the club bring in an array of exceptional talent. Cashing in on the club's most valuable asset while he is at the height of his powers makes perfect business sense.

Unfortunately for Levy, Bale's potential move would confirm Tottenham as nothing more than Real Madrid's feeder club. The chairman has already created conditions that ensure Madrid can manipulate, unsettle and pounce.

As we've witnessed with the transfers of Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo and Isco, if Real Madrid want, Real Madrid get.