SAINTS HOPING TO AVOID BALE
SALE
Southampton will reportedly offer Gareth Bale a new contract after
turning down bids from a number of Premiership clubs for the
highly-rated left-back.
The Championship club are thought to have turned down a £3million
bid from Tottenham and a £5million offer from Manchester United
earlier this week, according to The Sun.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle are also monitoring developments
as the bidding war for the Wales defender hots up.
Saints chairman Michael Wilde values Bale at around £7million and
is willing to make him the highest earner at St Mary's by offering
him a new one-year contract extension, which will tie him to the
club until 2009.
The teenager only has 18 months left on his current deal and if he
refuses to sign a new contract then the club may be forced to sell
him this month or risk seeing his transfer value drop dramatically
in the summer.
