SPORTS:

MADRID SMASHES WORLD TRANSFER RECORD AND SIGNS BALE FOR £85M

President Florentino Perez has smashed the world transfer record four times to bring in Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. Responding to an interview by Marca newspaper, Perez said "For those players and investments that generate and produce income, you can give everything in life".“I showed in 2000 that with those players you change the dynamic and go from losing to winning".“But we don’t speak of Bale so much because he plays at a friendly club to us and they will be annoyed if we speak. I know their chairman well and he doesn’t like these things.”

Asked if he would hesitate to pay £85m for Bale, Perez insisted he is ready to spend any amount to have the Welshman.

Spurs are desperate to keep winger Bale, 23, for at least one more season.

Perez also has Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and Napoli hitman Edinson Cavani on his hitlist.

He added: “We have a very high bar but someone will come in for sure.”