Gareth Bale not for sale - Villas-Boas

Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas has responded to reports in Spain that Gareth Bale is on the brink of joining Real Madrid by insisting his future remains at White Hart Lane.

Spurs will not sell the Wales winger at any price with Villas-Boas yesterday outlining the club’s position ahead of the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong.

“On Gareth I want to repeat what I was telling you last season and what I was telling you from the beginning of pre-season so I cannot extend myself,” he said.

“He’s a player we are willing to continue to have, he’s a Tottenham player, he’s one of the most fantastic players in the world at the moment and we are counting on him for the future. Unfortunately against Sunderland [today] he won’t be fit to play. He’s recovering from a knock he had in training so we expect him hopefully to have some involvement in the second game.”

Villas-Boas also said Danny Rose, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland, will return for the new campaign.