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Real must sell Arsenal target Gonzalo Higuain to fund move for Spurs star Gareth Bale
REAL MADRID'S move for Gareth Bale depends on the Spanish club getting the fee they want for Gonzalo Higuain.
According to El Mundo Deportivo, the Madrid club will only sanction a world record bid for Bale if they can sell Higuain for a fee in the region of £35m.
Tottenham's north London rivals Arsenal have been strongly linked with a move for the Argentinian striker, but recent reports suggested the Gunners were yet to formally make a bid.
Instead, Arsene Wenger is thought to have turned his attentions to signing unsettled Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.
And now Tottenham and Bale must wait to see if any other clubs are willing to match Real's valuation before knowing how to plan for the future.
Napoli, in the aftermath of losing Edinson Cavani to PSG, are rumoured to be considering reinvesting some of the £55m they will reportedly receive to sign Higuain.
Real, who have been known to engage in transfer-related mind games, may be hoping the prospect of indirectly dealing their biggest rivals a major blow may be enough to encourage Arsenal to revive their interest in Higuain.
Florentino Perez has already spent over £60m in the transfer market this summer on Calemiro, Daniel Carvajal, Isco and Asier Illarramendi and may be genuinely unwilling to splash out further until he recoups some of that back.
For his part, Bale has publicly stated he wants to stay at Spurs next season, but whether either he or Tottenham could resist a record-breaking offer remains in doubt.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on what happens with Gonzalo Higuain.