Gareth Bale Tipped to Push Tottenham 'Very Close' to Premier League Title

Gareth Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has claimed his client's return from injury will push Tottenham 'very close' to a maiden Premier League title.

The Welshman, fresh from exhausting central Spain's golf industry, returned to the club he previously left for a then-world record fee by securing a season-long loan during the recent transfer window.

It brought an end to a seven-year spell with Real Madrid, where it's fair to say he did alright...despite what the Spanish press may say. Now back at Spurs, who look in excellent shape after their 6-1 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford, Barnett insisted the forward was never going to join anyone else.

"He loves it [at Tottenham]. The most important thing is he has got a smile back on his face and that he's enjoying life," he told Sky Sports. "It had to be somewhere he wanted to go. For him, it wasn't about money. If he was going to go somewhere it was going to be somewhere that he'd enjoy.

"He's had offers and it wasn't right for him. When Tottenham came knocking, it was right. He's had a hard time and now he's going to enjoy himself. He deserves to be happy. He's been probably one of Britain's best ambassadors."

After a somewhat indifferent start to the season, one that has seen Spurs collect just one point from their two home matches, it appears after the victory at Old Trafford that Jose Mourinho is striking the right balance in his team. When Bale returns from injury - sometime after the international break - Barnett claims it could get even better.

He added: "Tottenham have got a good squad, a great coach and with Gareth's help I'm sure they will get very close [to the title]. You only have to see the results from last week to see that it's open.

"He has nothing to prove to anybody. He's won more than anybody else. He was one of the best three or four players in the world and I think he still is. If he succeeds, great, If not, he's been there and done it. But, I think he will succeed."

For more from Ross Kennerley, follow him on Twitter!