Luka Modric believes Gareth Bale is an ideal player for Real Madrid. He told Marca: "It is a complicated issue for me because I was at Tottenham with him. I can tell you that we're friends and that he is an exceptional player.

"A club like Real Madrid, Tottenham or anyone else can only benefit from having a player like that.

"If he signs or not is a matter for the clubs, but if he ends up at Real Madrid that can only be good for us.

"As Real Madrid is a team of stars, Bale would fit perfectly. He would give us a different dimension. He can shoot, has strength and speed and is the type of player who could help us take a step forward."