Jose Mourinho is the perfect manager to get the best out of Gareth Bale, says Paul Robinson, with the former Tottenham goalkeeper saying the Welshman’s return to north London could “ignite” Spurs.
A spark is being sought by a club that find themselves six points adrift of the Premier League’s top four.
The January transfer window is providing an opportunity for Mourinho to bolster his ranks and get further bodies on board, and it has been suggested that efforts could be made to bring Bale back to familiar surroundings from Real Madrid.
The Wales international continues to attract criticism in the Spanish capital, with his injury struggles resurfacing again in 2019-20, and exit talk has raged for some time now.
Spurs would welcome the 30-year-old forward back onto their books, especially as talismanic striker Harry Kane has been ruled out for the foreseeable future with a hamstring problem.
Robinson hopes a deal can be done for Bale, with the ex-Tottenham keeper telling Football Insider: “I’d love to see it happen.
“I think if anyone can get the best out of Gareth Bale, it’s Jose Mourinho.
“Losing Christian Eriksen, losing that little bit of creativity, that edge he’s brought to the side in the last however many seasons that he’s been there, I think a signing like Gareth Bale would really ignite the place again. It would really give the fans a huge boost.”
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Eriksen is seemingly destined to complete a switch to Serie A giants Inter before the deadline passes.
Bale would help to counter the loss of his creativity, with Robinson disappointed at how long a transfer saga involving a Danish playmaker has dragged on.
He added, with Mourinho having already aired his frustration: “I think the whole Christian Eriksen episode has been handled quite badly from start to finish, to be honest.
“To get to this point with Christian Eriksen still hanging around, not performing, playing a bit-part, not having a lot of money for him – it’s probably one thing they have dropped the ball on.
“I don’t think Mourinho can criticise the timing because it’s always been coming.”
Tottenham will not be in action again until after the January window has closed, with a Premier League meeting with Manchester City and FA Cup fourth-round replay against Southampton set to carry them into their winter break.