Tottenham are reportedly seriously considering the possibility of bringing Gareth Bale back to north London this summer.
Real Madrid have made it their priority to offload Bale as soon as possible after Zinedine Zidane decided that the out-of-favour winger has no future at the Bernabeu.
Bale has won four Champions League titles since joining Madrid from Spurs in 2013 for a then world record fee of £89.2million.
And according to Spanish daily Marca , the north Londoners are weighing up a move for their former star.
It is believed that Spurs are willing to fork out between £45million and £54m for the Wales superstar celebrates his 30th birthday on Tuesday.
Whether Madrid will accept that offer, though, remains to be seen - and the player's hefty weekly wages could also be a stumbling block in any potential deal.
The problem for most interested clubs is that Bale earns a staggering £600,000-a-week at Real Madrid and most of his suitors are simply not prepared to pay that sort of money.
In fact, it is claimed by Marca that Spurs can only afford around half of that weekly wages.
Spurs' potential interest puts Madrid in a predicament, as the Spaniards are desperate to sell the forward this summer but are standing firm over their valuation of the former Southampton graduate.
Bale's agent last month dismissed suggestions the Wales forward could leave Real Madrid on loan and said it would take "something exceptional" for the player to leave the Spanish capital.
Bale's high wages mean few clubs would be capable of signing him permanently, but his agent Jonathan Barnett ruled out the chances of him going out on loan and said the player is happy to stay at Madrid.
"I don't think he wants to go out on loan. He's got a lovely life and home in Spain. I think it would take something exceptional for him to leave and loans are not on the menu."
