AVB refuses to be drawn on the Welshman but can’t fault the Spaniard.
Tottenham Hotspur appear to be adjusting quite well to potential life without Gareth Bale, as new signing Roberto Soldado helped secure a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Soldado was a club record £26m acquisition from Valencia this summer and a penalty from the Spain international was enough to see off the Eagles.
Manager Andre Villas-Boas couldn’t help enthuse about the 28-year-old, but refused to be drawn on Bale.
“To see him so confidently step up and score on the same side as he did against Espanyol was important for us,” the Portuguese boss was quoted by the Mirror.
“It was good to see him out there. He created some chances. Not only that, but we celebrate our first official penalty after (getting none) last season – and even more.
“The player [Bale] is injured and is not available for selection and is not likely to start either the Tbilisi [in the Europa League on Thursday] or Swansea [next Sunday] games.”
The Wales international has been strongly linked with a world record move to Real Madrid this transfer window after impressing greatly in 2012/13.
Many believe that Spurs’ activeness in the transfer market (four new signings for a combined £59m) is a direct tactic to try and combat the departure of Bale.
If that is true then the north London club seem to be coping pretty well, with Paulinho, Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue all also making their debuts alongside Soldado.
Life without the Welshman may not be as hard as most thought.
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