Injured soccer star Gareth Bale sidelined until early next month
The absence of Wales international Bale, the subject of a world record bid of more than a reported £85 million (HK$879.5 million) from Real, means he could have played his last game for Spurs if he joins Madrid.
Tottenham Hotspur forward Gareth Bale will be sidelined until early next month with the foot injury that has kept the Real Madrid target out of the Premier League club's preseason build-up, says manager Andre Villas-Boas.
The absence of Wales international Bale, the subject of a world record bid of more than a reported £85 million (HK$879.5 million) from Real, means he could have played his last game for Spurs if he joins Madrid.
Villas-Boas said the 24-year-old would not be fit until the league game at north London rivals Arsenal, which is scheduled to be played the day before the transfer window closes on September 2.
Bale will miss Tottenham's Premier League opener at promoted Crystal Palace on Sunday, the Europa League play-off first leg away to Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi on Thursday and their first home league match of the season against Swansea City on August 25.
"For the games against Palace, Tbilisi and Swansea, he will not be in line to threaten to come back," Villas-Boas was quoted as saying by the British media yesterday.
Bale has not played since scoring in Tottenham's opening preseason friendly at Swindon Town on July 16. Since then he has suffered a hamstring injury and now a foot problem.
He joined up with the Wales squad for the international friendly against Ireland on Wednesday but was not fit to play.
