Ever since the day Gareth Bale left Tottenham back in the summer of 2013, fans of the north London side have no doubt held out hope that they would one day see the Wales international return home.

The 31-year-old blossomed into a world-beater in his time with the Lilywhites, and it was no surprise that Real Madrid came calling to make him one of their prized Galacticos.

But fast forward several years later, and the forward is set for a sensational return to the Premier League, with reports claiming he is inching ever closer to a season-long loan move from the Santiago Bernabeu.

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The key question surely running through Jose Mourinho's mind, is how he gets the best out of Bale. Even despite all his difficulties in Madrid, he remained a match-winner, with his Champions League final goals a testament to that.

Since the Welshman's exit, Spurs have developed another talisman in Harry Kane, and Mourinho will have to work out how he can get his superstar tandem to work together.

Below is the kind of line-up the Lilywhites boss may look to use to do just that.

Aside from Sergio Reguilon coming in for Ben Davies at left-back, Spurs' back-line is likely to be unchanged from the one that started the first Premier League game of the season against Everton.

However, in midfield is where Bale's success back at the club hinges.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's work as a destroyer is imperative, but bringing in Tanguy Ndombele into the starting line-up would give Spurs a player who has the ability to up the tempo with his more incisive passing.

A combination of Bale's technical quality and history of niggling muscle injuries means Mourinho is unlikely to want Bale doing too much defensive work, instead focusing on trying to get him the ball as soon as possible.

Back in Bale's final, and best, season at Spurs, he operated in a number of different positions under Andre Villas-Boas, including just off the striker - in fact, in the 10 games he played in that role, he scored six times and provided five assists.

Using him in a central area and as a number ten, would take away his defensive responsibility, and allow him to focus on producing moments of magic. If that's the case, Mauricio Pochettino favourite, Dele Alli - who has seen his form decline considerably with just nine goals in 38 games last season - could drop to the bench, with the England international not kicking on since his former manager called him the best youngster in the world.

Then surrounding Bale with two pace demons and electric attackers in Steven Bergwijn and Heung-min Son would leave opponents second-guessing about whether double-teaming the Welsh wizard is a smart idea, and give Spurs an added cutting edge.

Ultimately, Bale and Kane as a tandem could be the key to Spurs getting a top-four spot this season.

Potential XI: Lloris; Doherty, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Ndombele; Bergwijn, Bale, Son; Kane