Wales star Gareth Bale has been branded a "busted flush" whose ability to compete at the highest level has "eroded" in the wake of Tottenham's 1-0 defeat at Brighton.
Bale, 31, was given his big chance in Jose Mourinho's Spurs starting XI on Sunday evening but did not muster a single shot on goal before being replaced on the hour mark.
Now, football commentator and former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has added his share to the criticism facing on-loan Bale.
He claims Spurs fans have seen nothing resembling Bale's best since he joined on loan from Real Madrid in September, while the football world may now be getting a glimpse to why he has not been extensively used at the Bernabeu in recent seasons.
Jordan told talkSPORT: "Back in the summer when it was announced and all the excitement and furore about Gareth Bale, I - without being the wise old owl - wasn't enamoured with it.
"Because I think Gareth Bale is a busted flush. I think, ultimately, he is in a situation where for a variety of reasons - where it's injury, or his relationship with Real Madrid - a significant part of this guy's ability to compete at the highest level has been eroded.
"It's now being seen more clearly.
"We've lived in this world of saying 'how the hell can this guy win Champions League finals for Real Madrid and yet not even get a look in?'
"Now we're beginning to see possibly some of the reasons why.
"It's disappointing, because when you close your eyes and you have these iconic figures, or so-called iconic figures in your mind's eye, you always want to see them at their best and when Gareth Bale has come back, we've seen nothing resembling that."
Jordan also pointed to the failed transfer to China which fell through at the 11th hour in the summer of 2019, questioning: "Who wants to go to China if your career is in full flow?
"China is where you go to get paid, it's not where you go to develop your career.
"Irrespective of whether Tottenham are paying half of the £500,000 a week this player allegedly earns, or a third of it, they're still paying the best part of £10million. They're paying a third of his wages, which might well be the case.
"They're still paying £10million for a footballer.
"He didn't find a vaccine for the world's problems, he's a footballer. His job was to come in and be fit for purpose.
"And if he isn't fit for purpose, then you've got to look at the player, and look at him and say 'where are you, really? What was this all about?'"
Bale's performance was a big talking point in the post-match press conference, with Mourinho asked directly if the 31-year-old's loan move was simply not working out.
He replied: "We lost a match. And when we lose a match, we lose all together. We don’t lose because of one player or one bad performance.
"So I don’t think it’s fair, especially for myself in representation of my team, to answer that question – especially now.
"If that question comes in a great moment for the team, after a victory and when Gareth like the team plays a good game, it’s easier for me to answer.
"I don’t want to do that (now). We lost – and we all lost."
