Tottenham must make Gareth Bale amongst the highest paid players in the country to keep hold of him.

The Daily Mail says the triple Footballer of the Year, who scored 26 goals for Spurs in a brilliant personal campaign, is expected to commit his future to White Hart Lane for at least one more season.

But Tottenham are going to have to improve his salary to around the £200,000-a-week mark - putting him on a par with the best-paid players in the Premier League such as Yaya Toure, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie - to make up for his huge disappointment at not taking part in European club football's flagship competition.

A Spurs source said: "The vital issue will be getting the Champions League out of Gareth's head before he commits for another season. That won't be easy."