Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Gary Mabbutt insists that Gareth Bale has not done anything wrong by claiming that he could return to Real Madrid at the end of the season, telling Football FanCast that he did not say anything wrong.

Bale was at the centre of a media storm last week as he claimed that his current plan was to return to Spain at the end of the season, when his loan spell at Spurs ends.

He said: "‘The original plan was to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros still have a year left at Real Madrid.

"My plan is to go back and that’s as far as I’ve planned, to be honest."

His agent, Jonathan Barnett, subsequently claimed that the Wales international’s comments had been taken out of context.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Bale but reports have suggested that Spurs do have the option to extend his stay at the club by another season should they so wish.

Bale has, thus far, somewhat struggled for minutes in the Spurs first-team but he has made 25 appearances in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and laying on three assists.

Mabbutt, though, believes that the media have somewhat twisted Bale’s words, insisting that he simply said what he knew – as it stands, Bale will only be with the club until the summer unless that option is triggered for Spurs to keep him.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “He's on a season-long loan from Real Madrid. He's asked what's going to happen at the end of the season.

“As far as he's aware he's on a season long loan at Spurs, then he's asked about what could happen. He's going back to Real Madrid because that is what the current deal is.

“There's nothing in place to say he's staying for five years on loan or he's going to be signing for Spurs."

Bale struggled for minutes at Real before his move to Spurs, making just 12 starts in La Liga and failing to play in any of their final seven games in La Liga in 2019/20.