So we're all agreed then. Gareth Bale will move to Real Madrid some time this week in a deal worth about €100m (£86m). He's even flown out to Spain and is currently topping up his tan ahead of being paraded around the Bernabeu. We can finally be done with this saga...
What's that? He's flying back to England? (Presumably on Ryanair) There's another club interested? Oh for the love of...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzJb62Xluqc
Sky Sports reports that Tottenham are considering offers from more than just Real Madrid, with other websites speculating that it could be Manchester United or PSG. Far be it from Sky to try to keep the story interesting (or Daniel Levy to try to squeeze a few extra pennies) but I'm going to defer to Sid Lowe on this, who writes in the Guardian that the deal was reportedly done last Wednesday and that Bale is flying home to get the all-clear before flying back to Madrid covered in a sheet so that he can be unveiled in a €10m-a-year net six-year contract. After completing his medical, Bale is expected to join Chelsea.
But why buy one £86m player when you can buy 10 professional Australian clubs for the same price? The Mail claims Manchester City are considering an £8.7m deal to buy out defending A-League 'premiers' (topped table but lost play-off final) Western Sydney Wanderers.
Having being gazzumped by Chelsea for Willian, Tottenham will instead bid £30m for Hulk, while they are also still trying to tie up a deal for Roma's Erik Lamela, according to the Mirror. Mesut Ozil is keen on a move to Manchester United but his salary demands may prove an issue, reports AS (via 101greatgoals). And the Star says Arsenal have entered the race for Wayne Rooney, while the Gunners will have to pay £20m for Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye.
And finally, Ron Atkinson has completed a move back to Ron Atkinson circa 2004, by asking a fellow 'Celebrity' Big Brother contestant who was wearing a towel on her head: 'You're not carrying a bomb with you, are you?'
