“Five clubs are ready to smash the world-record fee for Bale” – Zidane

Real Madrid’s sporting director, Zinedine Zidane, has admitted that the Spanish club would have to break the world transfer record, to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspurs.

The Welsh winger has been heavily linked with a move to the Santiago Berbeu and Madrid are reportedly willing to pay up to £85million, which will top the £80million they paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

“The talk about Gareth Bale is not a surprise,” Zidane said. “It is impossible to have the season he just had and not be linked with the biggest clubs in Europe.

“If any club is going to tempt Spurs, then it will take big money – maybe even record-breaking money.

The former France international, also revealed that it was not a certain move, as there are “four or five” clubs who can stump up the cash for Bale.

“There are four or five clubs at the moment who have the finances not to be put off by a record-breaking fee like that.”