A bookmaker has stopped taking bets on Gareth Bale returning to Tottenham Hotspur this month.
Online sportsbook 888 tried to cause a scene on Twitter by shouting the news that they had suspended betting on Bale to Spurs.
The rationale for their suspension was that Bale had been left out of Real Madrid’s squad for their upcoming game against Atletico Madrid.
Despite the move by 888, it would still present a huge shock if Bale were to re-sign for Spurs tonight.
Jose Mourinho even admitted this afternoon – when he interviewed himself at a press conference – that he was not expecting any more January arrivals.
Bale has had a mixed time in Madrid since his record-breaking transfer in 2013.
The 30-year-old has won four Champions Leagues, playing a key role in more than one of those triumphs.
But his face just doesn’t seem to suit Zinedine Zidane. And he has been booed by Real fans on multiple occasions.
Bale scored 21 Premier League goals in his final season for Spurs. And he would arguably still be among the top 10 players in the division if he were to return. But finance, fitness and feasibility suggest this is a no-go.