Gareth Bale can fulfil his ambitions with Spurs, says Villas-Boas

By Ben Pearce, Tottenham correspondent Friday, March 1, 2013
3:15 PM

Andre Villas-Boas believes Gareth Bale can fulfil his ambitions with Tottenham in the Premier League, which he regards as the strongest in the world.

Bale has scored eight goals in his last six games for Spurs and is being linked with a move to Spain in the summer.

However, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said this morning that the Welshman has no need to go abroad.

The Gunners boss said: “Everybody wants to come to England. We have the best league in the world here, the most passionate, so I don’t see any reason why a player should go abroad.”

Villas-Boas agrees and, as the two bosses prepare to go head to head at White Hart Lane on Sunday, Spurs’ head coach said: “He [Wenger] is very respectful.

“We have the best league in the world, in my opinion. The best clubs are continuing to attract the best players.

“For a player to develop to his full potential, it can happen perfectly in this league. I think Gareth has that in mind - not only regarding Spurs but regarding this league too.

“We don’t want Gareth to go under any circumstances. I have told you in the past that our chairman is very difficult to deal with, and we will try to hold on to our assets. We believe that we have to hold onto the best players in order to achieve our objectives.

“Our objectives go higher season by season. This season we want to finish in the Champions League. Next season we never know what kind of team we can build if we achieve that objective, and that means holding onto our best players.”

Villas-Boas believes that, after a series of matchwinning displays, Bale could also hold the key to this weekend’s north London derby.

“He’s proved that in different fixtures against different opposition, European included,” said the Portuguese. “He’s going to be a major threat in the game.

“You can’t allow him any kind of space. He can turn up in different places and he unsettles opponents with his pace, his power and his technique. Hopefully we can see him continue on this level of form and he can continue to be decisive.”

Bale is now earning comparisons with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, with fans and pundits naming his among the best three players on the planet.

“People recognise that the level of his form is world-class, and those two players are world-class,” said Villas-Boas. “Merit is due where it’s due, and at the moment Gareth is showing that level of form to be at the level of those two players, who have won so much throughout their careers, including European trophies. He still has to achieve that and we hope he can achieve it with us.

“I think he is very down to earth, I find him an extremely accessible person, very human so I think he is focused.

“The fact that we have seen these performances recently, and constantly, means that the player keeps enjoying his football and that is what we want.”

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