Gareth Bale in no rush to leave Tottenham - Ledley King

By Matt MonaghanBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments521

Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale is in no rush to leave Tottenham, according to former Spurs captain Ledley King.

"He's enjoying it at Spurs. I wouldn't see him in any rush to leave," King told BBC Sport.

Asked if Bale would be the decisive figure in Sunday's north London derby, King said: "I think so. Arsenal will be wary of him and the threat he poses."

Bale has been linked with a big-money switch to Spanish champions Real Madrid because of the quality of his recent performances.

These rumours appeared againexternal-link after he played a key role on Monday against West Ham, opening the scoring with an incisive low shot before striking a stunning last-minute winner.

Former Tottenham and England centre-back King, who was forced to retire at the age of 31 last summer after years of problems with a debilitating knee injury,external-link is convinced these displays put Bale alongside Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo as the sport's leading performers.

"Gareth is in the top three players in the world on current form," he said. "I really enjoyed playing with him. Last season was his best to date and now he is taking it to another level."

The result at Upton Park re-established Tottenham's four-point lead over Arsenal ahead of a game which could prove crucial to both clubs' hopes of finishing in a Champions League qualification place.

Tottenham have not ended a Premier League season in front of their north London rivals since 1995, but King believes this run will come to an end in May as Spurs have the stronger squad.

He said: "It has been long enough [Tottenham ending the season behind Arsenal], and it did not happen while I was playing. I think this is finally the season where we can finish above our neighbours.

"I think Tottenham do have a better squad. Obviously, both teams have quality players but I think maybe Tottenham's squad is stronger."

Manager Andre Villas-Boas has impressed since arriving at White Hart Lane in July, and King praised the Portuguese's impact after a difficult previous spell at Chelsea.

"The players love him and that is so important," he said. "We have seen the passion he shows on the sideline - every goal the team scores he celebrates.

"For any young, foreign manager, coming from abroad to the Premier league is tough, yet alone to Chelsea. He has the chairman [Daniel Levy] behind him and we are seeing what he is made of."

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521 comments

  • Comment posted by U15246544, at 14:20 1 Mar 2013

    Spurs in my eyes are one striker and one CB away from really challenging. They are strong or there abouts' everywhere else including one of the worlds best keepers in Lloris and a manager who has hunger.

    As a United fan I think if Bale stays and a few additions are made then Spurs will be a real real force. A side that will have made it by pure grafting rather than a sugar daddy.Keep it up Spurs

  • Comment posted by Ross, at 14:02 1 Mar 2013

    I am tired of the requirement that the best players have to play for the biggest teams. Why should there be a monopoly on talent like that?

    Football shouldn't just be about glory-hunting. Achievement can come in different forms other than just medals.

  • Comment posted by King Red, at 13:32 1 Mar 2013

    Why would he want to leave, he has everything he wants at spurs.... if he wants more money im sure they will give it to him. If they qualify for the champs league he should def be there next season. If Spurs manage to buy a top class striker they will be a force in the prem league.

    Of course this all depends on CL next season.

    Even as a United fan im enjoying how spurs are developing

  • Comment posted by U3033716, at 14:04 1 Mar 2013

    People are constantly miss-quoting the whole Bale / Messi / Ronaldo debate.
    No one is saying that Bale is as good as them because, even as a Tottenham fan, he clearly isn't. What the pundits are saying is that he is as important to the team as Messi is to Barca and Ronaldo is to Real - a match winner, a game changer but yes, he's not quite in the same league yet.

  • Comment posted by Mr_Bhatti, at 23:03 1 Mar 2013

    hes amazing at the moment but give him some time! Shouting world class is only putting on pressure, cause he aint there yet, let some consistency come

  • Comment posted by Fatj, at 13:47 1 Mar 2013

    20. 1TonyDaws

    Maybe he doesn't want to make the same mistake as Modric...

    "Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric admits he has found life at the Bernabeu "challenging" after being voted the worst La Liga signing of the season by readers of Marca. "

  • Comment posted by Tim, at 14:06 1 Mar 2013

    Everyone talks about leaving for the money - but when you're earning £40-50K/week (and a lot more in some cases!!) do you really need to chase more money? Maybe he is not materialistic like that, and would rather stay with a potentially very succesful Spurs set up because he is happy there - AND be able to fulfil his potential.

  • Comment posted by Chicken on a Ball, at 16:09 2 Mar 2013

    james..... lets be HONEST, you have never been to a match have you, my offer of a spare ticket is still open, I will be at WHL tube station platform 3;15 tomorrow, wear you arsenal shirt and you can have my spare ticket

  • Comment posted by U14900468, at 22:46 1 Mar 2013

    These threads are troll central. Before I say this, I'd like to point out I'm not a THFC fan..

    Some of you Arsenal supporters are extremely deluded.
    Do you think that maybe Bale is getting attention, not because BBC are in any way biased; but because Bale (player of the month) is showing unbelievable ability and form? He will only get better also. No Arsenal player even comes close.

  • Comment posted by SportsFan, at 22:16 1 Mar 2013

    Spurs will have to sell Bale one day and they will make a big profit from it, but that time has not come yet.

  • Comment posted by Raquille, at 19:47 1 Mar 2013

    the next two superstars coming out of the Spurs Academy are my two nephews.

    the older one is a bit of a prima dona so I think he is going to be a striker. He is left footed though and already he is better than Andre Santos. My nephew is 2 and a half.

    The younger one is learning to crawl and is already better than Gervinho.

  • Comment posted by U14909124, at 13:30 1 Mar 2013

    I can only see him off to one of the Spanish giants. If Guardiola makes a splash at Bayern they can't be ruled out. Italian teams probably don't have the cash and I wopuldn't see Levy selling to an English side anyway. I think Spurs need to get in CL this year to keep him. Often its not the player but the agent who unsettles player.

  • Comment posted by U15444866, at 17:08 2 Mar 2013

    424, 423 etc etc (everyone)

    James makes up all his facts, and has never actually seen a game of football let alone seen Bale play. James actually hasnt left his bedroom for nine years,and the many stories and games he talks of all invlove Fifa and Championship manager. Its not worth arguing with him, he wont listen. I just feel sorry for him.

  • Comment posted by Chicken on a Ball, at 15:29 2 Mar 2013

    Has anyone noticed all the Goner on her sticking up for james......no neither have I, james you are a sad individual, you have an unhealthy interest in young men, you hide this under the umbrella of football, GET PROFESSION|AL HELP

  • Comment posted by ajaxisart, at 14:54 2 Mar 2013

    James,
    they have just opened up a Arsenal comments page following remarks Theo W made about the current squads trophy winning ability, why not go comment there, lots of new material for you.
    Then when puberty arrives why not try other websites with lovely girls pictures on ? You will soon forget your Spurs obsession then, and AFC will have a totally different connotation.

  • Comment posted by Chicken on a Ball, at 13:19 2 Mar 2013

    Don't think james has been swallowed up by a sinkhole......we cant be that lucky

  • Comment posted by U15399425, at 23:13 1 Mar 2013

    James the troll is back AGAIN ruining yet ANOTHER thread.You're obsessed with Bale because you're jealous.If you werent you wouldnt go on about it.Your troll self comes out by you always ending up saying "Spuds are cr9p".Please tell me what world class players Arsenals youth system has produced in the last 20 years?Still waiting for the other wingers who will score more goals and assists than Bale

  • Comment posted by davey bones, at 23:07 1 Mar 2013

    Overmars was a great player, in their pomp a decade ago the gooners had half a dozen great players, unfortunately for them now they have none. It's only a few misguided goons, like the intellectually challenged James that doesn't rate Bale but that's up to them, the top managers here and on the continent don't agree.

  • Comment posted by U15607370, at 23:01 1 Mar 2013

    Bale is annoyingly good (Liverpool fan, here). I'd like to see him in Spain just so he doesn't play against us!

  • Comment posted by BLRBrazil, at 20:06 1 Mar 2013

    @ 232: now you're just being silly James. All non-fanatical Gooners know that King was one of the world's best CBs and that his career was blighted by injury.
    @ 237: why, you want to buy one for your club? Caulker is only 21. Likewise Townsend, Smith, Mason and Bostock. Carroll, Fryers, Luongo, Ceballos, (20), Kane, Pritchard (19) Coulibaly, Coulthirst, McEvoy (18) Veljkovic (17) are just a few.

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