Gareth Bale looks a new man at Tottenham Hotspur – without even making his second debut for them.
The Welshman re-signed for Spurs on a season-long loan from Real Madrid last month.
His time in the Spanish capital had turned very sour under Zinedine Zidane in the weeks and months – perhaps even years – before his return to North London.
Even when Real won the title last season, Bale cut a rather subdued figure during the celebrations, forcing a few smiles and refusing to handle the trophy.
It was the demeanour of a man who didn’t seem to want to be at Real, but he might’ve got his groove back at Tottenham.
The North London club regularly upload training videos of the team and Bale simply looks a much happier figure, joining in with his new team-mates’ banter.
He smiles. He laughs. He jokes.
And according to The Guardian, the 31-year-old simply did not realise the ‘effect that walking back into a warm and welcoming environment would have on him’.
If Bale is surprised by remembering what happiness feels like in football, it’s bad news for West Ham United tomorrow because the player might remind the country what a frightening talent he can still be.
The attacker, who joined Real from the Lilywhites in 2013 for a world-record £85 million, is poised to earn a second debut for Tottenham on Sunday and it’s truly fascinating to see how he’ll make out.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
