Gareth Bale returns to Real Madrid next season

Welshman Gareth Bale said on Tuesday that he intends to return to Real Madrid to complete the last 12 months of his contract next season with the Spanish Premier League champions.

Bale plays on loan at Tottenham Hotspur this season, and initially suffered from a decline in fitness level, and was sitting a lot on the bench, but has been playing regularly in recent weeks.

But Bale said before starting his 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign this week that he planned to return to Spain next season.

"The main reason I came to Tottenham this season was that I wanted to play football first and foremost, but I also wanted to be fit to play before the European Championship," Bale told reporters.

Bale is expected to hold the captaincy for Wales at the European Championships, which have been postponed by one year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and will begin in June.

"The initial plan is to spend one season at Tottenham, and after the European Championship, there will be one year left with Real Madrid and I plan to return again," Bale added.

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