Tottenham are reportedly in pole position to sign Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Bale, 31, is out of the frame at the Santiago Bernabeu due to his frosty relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane and has been linked with a return to England.
He made just 20 appearances across all competitions last season, scoring three goals, but remains contracted in the Spanish capital until 2022.
Bale has previously hinted he will see out his contract with Real after Zidane pulled the plug on a lucrative move to China last summer.
But recent speculation links the Wales star with Tottenham and Manchester United, and ESPN reports the north London club holds the advantage in the race for his signature.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho has informed chairman Daniel Levy he needs to bolster his forward options to provide support for talisman Harry Kane.
Negotiations to bring Bale to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have taken place, while United have been focussing on other transfers.
The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund attacker Jadon Sancho throughout the summer.
Should Bale return to Spurs or join United? Have your say here.
But should their pursuit of the 20-year-old end in failure, United may formalise their interest in Bale, who has been told he can leave this summer.
Bale joined Los Blancos for a world-record transfer fee of £85million in 2013 and has helped the club to countless honours including two La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues triumphs and the Copa del Rey.
But he could be available for as little as £18million or on a subsidised loan switch whereby his £600,000-per-week contract is shared by Real and the club he temporarily joins.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is believed to see Bale as a backup option to his existing forwards, but the player is nonetheless keen on the move to Old Trafford.
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