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“Why did it take time for Bale to reach his good form? Ask Real Madrid”—Mourinho

The Welsh attacker has been impressive for Tottenham in recent weeks and Mourinho tried to explain why it took him so long.

Tottenham Hotspur v Royal Antwerp: Group J - UEFA Europa League

Tottenham manager and former Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho talked to the press about Gareth Bale, who has been completing quality performances for the London-based club lately, even if it took him almost an entire half of the season to reach that kind of level. bale is still a Real Madrid player, so his current performances could eventually decide his future if Tottenham are interested in prolonging his current loan deal for another season.

“For the last two years, he had what he had in Madrid. Ask Real Madrid, then maybe you will understand why it took him time to reach this good form. Maybe staying patient was the main reason why he was able to show his level in the last two weeks,” said Mourinho.

If Tottenham decide not to keep Bale for another season, it won’t be easy for Real Madrid to find him a new club willing to pay his salary, especially when he is set to become a free agent in the summer of 2022.

Right now, Real Madrid fans should want Bale to keep performing this way so that Tottenham think the loan deal is worth another season.

The Welsh winger will likely make the first appearance of his current spell with Spurs in the London derby clash with the Hammers this weekend

Gareth Bale will “probably” make his first appearance since returning to Tottenham when they face West Ham on Sunday, according to Jose Mourinho.

Bale rejoined Spurs on a season-long loan in September, having left in 2013 for Real Madrid in a then world-record transfer.

A knee injury has so far kept Bale out of action and, though he gave a positive update on the forward’s condition, manager Mourinho would not definitively say if the Wales international will feature in the London derby.

“Of course he wants to play. He wanted to play since the day he arrived but wasn’t possible,” Mourinho told a media conference. “I’m not going to tell you if he’s going to play or not. What I will tell you is that he’s working very well. He’s working the way he probably hasn’t been able to do for some time.

“The planning of the recent sessions had a big focus on him. His condition is good. Does he play Sunday or Thursday, we haven’t made a decision yet.

“Every player is a very important player but the Gareth situation is very special because of his history. We care about him as much as he does for Tottenham.

“It’s a physical thing. He didn’t have any pre-season and even in the period after the lockdown, he didn’t participate in much with Real Madrid, then he plays a couple of matches with Wales, had an injury there.

“It’s not just about coming and needing a week of work to be at a level. It’s more global than that and we don’t want him to be rushed, we want him to be comfortable, we want him to make the decision of ‘yes, I’m ready to go’. It’s more about that.

“He’s working so well, just evolution in every data, in every aspect of his condition. He’s there. Probably he plays Sunday, if he doesn’t he will on Thursday [in the Europa League v LASK]. He’s there. He’s very, very close.”

A key feature of Tottenham’s start to the new Premier League season, which included a 6-1 win at Manchester United prior to the international break, has been the form of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

Kane and Son have combined in six goal involvements, the highest tally in the league for any duo, in four games. That makes the prospect of adding Bale to the forward line an enticing one, though not one Mourinho appeared willing to commit to as his first choice.

“We have a squad where every player has to fight a lot for a place in the team,” Mourinho added. “I believe you can see Son and Bale playing together, and also both together on the bench and also both enjoying a hot tea in the box. We have so many good options so I refuse to say that anyone is a first choice.”