Tottenham Hotspur: Barcelona Interest in Gareth Bale to Test Spurs

Rumours have been gathering this week that Spanish and European champions Barcelona will seek to recruit Tottenham's Welsh superstar Gareth Bale. Chief scout Albert Valentin was sent to watch Bale in action last Sunday as Spurs beat Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage, largely thanks to the contribution made by the Welshman. A goal and a glorious assist were enough to impress the watching Spaniard, enough certainly for him to reportedly return to base with nothing but glowing praise and a strong recommendation to buy.

But Tottenham, and in particular Chairman Daniel Levy, will not be pushed around. Following the unwavering display of strength in resistance to Chelsea's pursuit of Luka Modric in the summer, Spurs fans can be re-assured that the only man at the club who could be considered more indispensable than the Croatian will not be sold lightly. That is not to say that a deal could never happen, but it will be almost certainly on Levy's terms, and not Barcelona's.

First of all, it should be made clear that, barring a drastic change in circumstances, the White Hart Lane faithful can breathe easily throughout the January transfer window. Tottenham's push for a top-four place is gaining almost unstoppable momentum, so there is no way a sale would even be considered at this point. Bale himself would surely be committed enough to remain with the club for at least the remainder of this season.

So that's January out of the way, but what about next summer? Barcelona will always be an attractive destination for players, particularly those who know that the world's best team only has one problem position, and that that position just so happens to be one that the player in question would be able to fill very capably. That is not to mention the fact that Bale himself has already indicated that his future may lie at a club outside the Premier League.

There are three major factors that will determine if, and when, the deal happens. First, and most immediately significant, is Tottenham's bargaining position. After rejecting an offer of £40 million for Modric, arguably an older, fully-developed player, Levy will scoff at the reported £35 million offer that is being prepared for Bale. So expect Spurs to command a fee nearer to £50 million for a player who is still getting better, who is on a long-term contract and who, at 22, has age very much on his side. Barcelona will have to part with a serious amount of money that would smash their current transfer record to capture their target.

Second in the contributing factors is Tottenham's performance in the Premier League this season. They currently lie in fifth position, but have played fewer games than those around them. Win their extra match, and they will be securely placed inside that crucial top four. If Spurs can finish in one of those four places, the chances of Bale staying with the club improve dramatically. He has had a taste of Champions League football, and has made it clear that he wants more of it. Failure to achieve it would almost certainly see him leave White Hart Lane, but bring it back to the white half of North London and those fans could be seeing their man surging down the left side of the hallowed turf for years to come.

The wild card in all of this is Harry Redknapp. He is the overwhelming favourite to land the England job as Fabio Capello's replacement after Euro 2012, and if that happens it would signal the end of an era at Tottenham. Any new manager would have his own ideas on tactics and personnel and, though that man would certainly want to keep Bale, it may be seen by the player as a convenient opportunity to make a clean break from the club, and seek glory in another league. Though still not selling at a reduced price, it could open the door to a deal being done.

All of this is of course conjecture at this point, but we can say one thing for sure. All the hype surrounding Gareth Bale this time last year was right. This young Welshman is one of the most exciting players Tottenham fans have seen in the Premier League era, and is also one of the most promising prospects in world football. The very fact that Barcelona have even expressed an interest in the player is testament to that.

I for one would not begrudge the world's best left-sided player playing for the world's greatest team. Who would have thought that Barcelona could possibly become an even more exciting team to watch? Gareth Bale could well be the man to make it happen.