Gareth Bale has clarified comments he had made about his loan at Tottenham Hotspur and his return to Real Madrid.
The 31-year-old had indicated on Wales duty that expected to return to the Spanish club for next season and Tottenham fans were left unhappy and construed comments about getting fit for the Euros as using their club as something of a fitness centre.
Bale had been asked over Zoom during his press conference ahead of Wales’ opening 2022 World Cup qualifier in Belgium whether the speculation over what will happen with his career next season could be a distraction for him and Wales at the Euros in the summer.
"There's no distraction for me," he said. "I think the main reason I came to Spurs this year was to play football first and foremost.
"Going into the Euros I wanted to be match-fit. The original plan was to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros still have a year left at Real Madrid.
"My plan is to go back, that's as far I have planned."
On Monday, Bale clarified those comments when asked about whether he needed to play regular football next season to be able to play at the World Cup in the future.
"I think for me, first and foremost I still have this season, and I still have plenty of games to go for the Euros," he said in his latest press conference when asked by Sky Sports.
"Obviously, going into next season, legally my contract says I have to go back to Real Madrid, which is what I stated, which I don't think is being disrespectful to anybody. That's legally what I have to do.
"Real Madrid are I guess my parent club and as far as I agreed I was on Tottenham on loan until the end of the season and I go back. That's the plan so far.
"The reason I left was because I wanted to play games and get match fit and enjoy my football. Obviously come the summer I will go back to Real Madrid and we'll go from there.
"I think the plan is to go back and then whether then I sit down with my agent is something we'll do in the summer."
He added: "Of course I want to be playing, but other things might get in the way. Obviously in football it's not just about what you want. It's the other side.
"So I'm just concentrating on this season. I have a big game tomorrow and a big end to the season with Tottenham and obviously the Euros in the summer.
"So for me in the summer at the moment I don't need to worry about anything else apart from his season and regarding next season, after the Euros and my summer holiday, we'll sit down and we'll go through something then and hopefully we'll come up with a solution."
