Mourinho says Bale's motivation is high on his return to Spurs

VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO / FOOTAGE OF GARETH BALE ARRIVING AT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR'S TRAINING GROUND

SHOWS:

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 20, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING:

"I don't know when Gareth (Bale) can be back. The only thing that I know is that the motivation is high, he's so happy to be with the club of his heart, he's so happy to play for us. And when a player has these motivations many many times you can shorten the period of recovering, you can shorten the period of getting fit and medically to play.

"We want to help him, so when he is available to train with the team we are more than happy to have him and to help him to be back to a level that made him one of the best players in the world."

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 18, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

2. FANS CHEERING AND APPLAUDING AS GARETH BALE ARRIVES AT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR TRAINING GROUND

3. CARS DRIVING THROUGH ENTRANCE TO TOTTENHAM'S TRAINING GROUND

4. VARIOUS OF TOTTENHAM FANS, CHANTING (English): "GARETH BALE, GARETH BALE, HE WAS BORN TO PLAY FOR SPURS. HE WAS BORN TO PLAY FOR SPURS"

STORY: Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said on Sunday (September 20) that Gareth Bale's motivation is high on his return to the Premier League side.

Bale completed his move from Spanish champions Real Madrid on Saturday (September 19) as the Wales forward ended an increasingly fractious seven-year stay at the Bernabeu.

"The motivation is high, he's so happy to be with the club of his heart, he's so happy to play for us," Mourinho told reporters.

The 31-year-old had flown to London on Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's private jet on Friday along with Real's Spanish left back Sergio Reguilon to put the finishing touches to their moves on a seismic day for the Premier League club.

The financial details of the move were not disclosed but British media reported that Tottenham will pay around 20 million pounds ($25.83 million) in wages and loan fees.

It is seven years since Cardiff-born Bale left Tottenham to join Real Madrid for a then world record fee of 100 million euros after a spectacular rise.

Mourinho, who was speaking after his side's 5-2 Premier League victory over Southampton, said Bale was one of the top players in the world and was looking forward to having him in the squad once he's fit in October.

"We want to help him, so when he is available to train with the team we are more than happy to have him and to help him to be back to a level that made him one of the best players in the world," Mourinho said.

Spurs' transfer activity may also not be over with the club linked with a move for a striker including Southampton's Danny Ings who scored both goals for the Saints against Tottenham on Sunday.

(Production: Andy Ragg)