Harry Redknapp is confident that Gareth Bale could step back into Premier League football with no worries.

The Welsh winger left Tottenham for Real Madrid in 2013 but has apparently failed to live up to expectations in Spain with local media continually criticising his performances, particularly last season.

Bale has been linked with a possible return to England over the past few months and although it seems unlikely he will be leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, his former Spurs boss Redknapp believes he would be able to pick up where he left off in the Premier League.

"Absolutely," Redknapp said.

"If you said to me, as a Premier League manager you could have the pick of one player in the world, it would be Gareth above any other player - if he wanted to come back. "A year ago, for me, he was the third best player in the world. He maybe has fallen behind Neymar and Luis Suarez now but he could come back here, as a fantastic footballer, and if he came back to England he could change the fortunes of a football club - he has that much ability."

Bale, 25, is being linked with Manchester United and to a lesser degree Chelsea.