LONDON // Tottenham Hotspur received offers from more than one club for Real Madrid target Gareth Bale, according to reports.
Bale has been widely expected to complete his long-awaited move to Madrid this week for a world-record fee of around £85 million (Dh486.9m).
The Wales forward missed Tottenham's 1-0 win against Swansea City on Sunday after being given permission to fly to Spain over the weekend, reportedly to finalise details over his switch to the Bernabeu.
But, with a week remaining in the transfer window, it now appears that Madrid is not the only possible destination for Bale, 24, who was crowned England's Footballer of the Year last season after scoring 26 goals in all competitions.
Reports claim Tottenham have been approached by at least one other club with a firm bid for Bale, leading to speculation that Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germain might try to steal him from Madrid's clutches at the last minute.
PSG are backed by Qatari owners who have already spent millions on transforming the French club into a European force, while United manager David Moyes is desperate to make a marquee signing after a frustrating summer in the transfer market.
Meanwhile, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said Sunday that he expected Bale back at the club's Enfield training ground.
"Monday is a day off, Tuesday is training, so I would expect him to be there," he said.
"We have allowed him two days off.
"It's not the first time this has come up. We never force non-selected players to come to our games. I decided that last season.
"There is interest from Real Madrid. Whether the transfer will happen or not, hopefully you will have more news in the next couple of days, but at the moment there is nothing I can tell you."
Despite the new development, Madrid remain strong favourites to complete a deal for Bale, with pictures from inside the Bernabeu last week showing a podium being erected to present the player to fans and the media.
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RESULTS
Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Don't get fined
The UAE FTA requires following to be kept:
- Records of all supplies and imports of goods and services
- All tax invoices and tax credit notes
- Alternative documents related to receiving goods or services
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- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
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- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
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Sudden change in behaviour or displays higher levels of stress or anxiety
Shows signs of depression or isolation
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