As revealed by The Daily Telegraph on Friday, Barcelona’s sporting board has made Bale its priority summer target as it seeks to replace France international Abidal. The 32 year-old underwent a liver transplant last week and it is unclear whether he will ever return to Pep Guardiola’s first team.The club’s technical department is now convinced 22-year-old Bale is the man to fill any void left by Abidal.
Bale started his career as a left-back at Southampton but his pace, crossing ability and poise in front of goal has made Redknapp utilise him on the wing. But the Tottenham Hotspur manager has repeatedly insisted that the Welshman will eventually end up as a world-class left-back, and Barcelona share his view.
“He can play left-back,” Redknapp said. “I still think that may be where he’ll finish up. He’s certainly a fantastic left-sided player. At left-back he gets the freedom to come forward, especially in Saturday’s game, where full-backs play like wingers.
“You don’t get marked the way you do when you’re on the wing and you’ve got the right-back stood two yards away from you and kicking you up in the air every time the ball comes to you.”
Redknapp insisted Bale had no desire to leave Tottenham. “He is happy here with us at the moment. He will be linked with every club because he is such a great player.”
Mark Hughes, the manager of Tottenham’s opponents on Saturday, Queens Park Rangers, has advised Bale to stay in north London – for now.
“I’m sure there is time for Gareth in the future. He’s still very young and I’d advise him to stay. He’s playing for a good club, challenging for honours. I don’t think he anticipates leaving at any time yet,” he said.
Redknapp, meanwhile, reiterated his interest in Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who may leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
“He’s a handful for anybody,” Redknapp said. “He would be a great player for Chelsea to keep – or for somebody else to take. Anyone would be interested but you would have to be able to afford his wages.
“If he is on a free you are going to have to pay him a fortune. He is a powerhouse when he is on his game. He is strong and almost unplayable when he is really at it.”
Redknapp, who has seen Tottenham’s form nosedive in recent weeks, said he was concerned about a lack of “characters” in the dressing room.
“We haven’t got anyone who is very vocal in there,” the manager conceded. “It’s a very quiet dressing room. There’s only Michael Dawson, who we lost with injury, who is a leader and character. We have a lot of quiet boys, a very quiet team. Even William Gallas and Ledley King are quiet lads.”
King is out of contract in the summer and it has been suggested that his 16-year Tottenham career might be coming to an end after some questionable displays this season.
But the manager said: “He is part of this club, been here since he was a kid and you need to look after Ledley King. There are special people and he is one of them. I am sure that the club will come to some arrangement with him again.”
Redknapp, of course, might not be at Tottenham when these contract decisions are made as he remains the overwhelming favourite to become the next England manager.
Spurs’ stance on not fielding England questions was tested at Friday’s press conference when a reporter was repeatedly stopped by club press officer Simon Felstein when he attempted to ask Redknapp about Bolton chairman Phil Gartside’s endorsement of him as future England manager.
