How Spurs could secure their next Gareth Bale for £70m

Roberto De Zerbi is on the hunt for an elite attacker at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, and he no doubt wishes he could call upon a player like Gareth Bale in his prime.

The Welshman featured a staggering 237 times across two separate spells with the Lilywhites, even managing to find the back of the net on 71 occasions.

He also registered 53 assists during such a period, undoubtedly cementing himself as one of the best players to ever wear the shirt and operate in North London.

His £85m move to join Real Madrid back in the summer of 2013 remains as one of the club’s record sales – with the Lilywhites simply unable to replace a player of his calibre.

Spurs’ right-wing woes since Gareth Bale

This summer marks 13 years since Bale swapped North London for Madrid, but it’s safe to say the club have failed to land a player of that quality throughout such a period.

Their failure to do exactly is reflected by their loan deal to re-sign the Welshman on loan from the Spanish giants back in the 2020/21 campaign – which saw him net 16 goals in 34 outings.

In the five years since, Spurs have splashed a pretty penny on new additions on the right-hand side, with Brennan Johnson arguably the most successful since his compatriot’s departure.

The 25-year-old netted the winner for the Lilywhites in the Europa League final back in 2024/25, subsequently ending the club’s wait for a piece of silverware.

He’s since moved on to pastures new, having joined Crystal Palace for a reported £35m during the recent January transfer window – undoubtedly leaving as a club-legend in North London.

However, De Zerbi’s two main right wing options at present are Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski – but both players are currently sidelined with long-term injuries.

Neither player has featured for the club since January, with the latter of the duo missing the entirety of the 2025/26 campaign after having knee surgery.

How Spurs can land their next Gareth Bale this summer

Neither Kudus nor Kulusevski have featured in pre-season to date, with their return to senior action in North London remaining a mystery despite the season starting in less than three weeks.

As a result, numerous players have emerged on their shortlist in recent weeks, which has seen Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo named as a possible transfer target.

He’s not the only Premier League option on their shortlist, with Chelsea star Pedro Neto the latest to be linked with a move to join the Lilywhites this summer.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has spoken about the deal on his YouTube channel, stating: “Pedro Neto is on Manchester City’s list, but he’s also been discussed internally at Tottenham.

“If the deal is not happening for Savinho, Pedro Neto could become an option for Tottenham Hotspur, and it could be an interesting situation to follow.”

Whilst Romano fails to mention how much a deal for the Portuguese international would cost, other sources have stated that a move could cost as much as £70m this window.

Many Spurs supporters may be somewhat underwhelmed by such a move, but his stats from last season showcase why he could be the club’s next version of the Welsh attacker.

Neto managed to complete an impressive tally of 1.7 successful dribbles per 90 in the Premier League last term – subsequently getting past the opposition with ease, just as Bale did in North London.

Such a figure also placed him above 80% of attackers in England’s top-flight, which could see De Zerbi finally land the direct and pacey winger he’s been hunting for.

Just the Welshman, he’s gained a reputation for cutting off the right-hand side before firing goalwards – which saw him achieve a 38% shot on target accuracy rate last term.

His tally of 1.3 successful crosses per 90 – ranking him in the top 10% of wingers in the league – highlights his ability to also provide chances for others in the final third.

Neto’s ability to either find the back of the net alone or tee up teammates in the front of goal is a tremendous quality and backs up one Premier League analyst’s claim that he’s “just like Gareth Bale.”

His double-figure combined goal and assist tally from 2025/26 would see the club land a proven Premier League option, and one who could follow in the footsteps of a club legend.

£70m may appear to be an expensive deal for the Lilywhites, but it may be a bargain if the 26-year-old manages to emulate the Welshman’s success in North London.