AVB confirms 'ongoing' Bale contract talks

Well, at least this is something. Andre Villas-Boas today put an end to the speculation over what Daniel Levy's approach to the Gareth Bale situation is going to be this summer by confirming that the club are in talks to renew the Welshman's contract- but stressed that at this stage "that doesn't mean there is an agreement".

If we're being honest with ourselves, anyone who was expecting any potential negotiations over the matter in this window to go smoothly was always bound to be setting themselves up for disappointment. In order to ensure that Spurs retain their best player for at least one more season, it was always going to be an inevitability that the club's wage structure (which currently caps weekly salaries at around £100,000 by most accounts) would have to be smashed, even when you factor in the last contract renewal that Bale signed a mere 12 months ago. Levy is currently in an unenviable position of having to choose between trying to keep a player who may one day be regarded as one of the greatest (if not the greatest) in the club's history, or maintaining the fundamental financial structure which has kept a club of such comparatively limited resources on an even keel as we compete for a Champions League berth.

When you look at things from that perspective, it wouldn't be a surprise if talks between Levy and Bale's people remain mired in the 'ongoing' stage for a good while long. Expect this one to drag out across the remainder of the window as Bale's agent continues to leverage the Madrid threat to secure an unprecedented deal for his client.