One of the big moves of the transfer window was that of Gareth Bale returning to Tottenham Hotspur on loan from Real Madrid.
After seven years in Spain, most of which he spent trying to win over the local media before giving up entirely, the former Spurs star was given the chance to start anew in a friendly environment.
It didn’t matter that he scored 105 goals and assisted another 68 in 251 appearances, the Welshman was always on the receiving end of criticism in the likes of Marca and Mundo Deportivo, but he’s happier now, far away from it all.
We know this because Sergio Reguilón, who arrived at Tottenham at the same time as Bale, spoke to El Chiringuito about his teammate, relayed by BeSoccer.
He said: “Bale sometimes even acts as a translator for some specific things. He is much more comfortable speaking English with all his colleagues, it shows a lot. I see him happier, it’s the matter of being comfortable in a team.
“The fundamental part has been the language. Here, he talks to all his teammates. In Madrid, he was more afraid of failing with the language. The change, for him, has been very positive”.
Eased into action by José Mourinho, who has yet to leave him on the pitch for 90 minutes, Bale is growing back into the player everyone came to know at Tottenham all those years ago.
With a goal and an assist in his first six games of the season, he’s on the right track, and plenty, including Reguilón, will be excited to see what he can offer once he’s fully fit.
