Report: Gareth Bale transfer to Real Madrid could happen 'very soon'

Gareth Bale's transfer to Real Madrid could happen "very, very soon." (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Gareth Bale could be on his way to Real Madrid "very, very soon" in what is expected to be the most expensive transfer ever, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said Wednesday.

Bale is "furious and frustrated" with the Spurs and skipped practice on Tuesday. Last week, Real Madrid reportedly agreed in principle to pay the biggest transfer fee in history for Bale - 99 million euros (approximately $133 million), outpacing Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer fee of 96 million euros in 2009. But the deal has yet to go through.

Villas-Boas' comments make it seem likely that Bale's transfer will be completed before the transfer window ends on Monday, though he leaves open the possibility that it could come down to the deadline.

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From the Associated Press' report:

"At the moment, the two clubs are speaking — Tottenham and Real Madrid — to outline the final decisions or statements of contracts," Villas-Boas said. "I am not sure how much time it will take. It could happen very, very soon. "But it might not happen so soon, so I suppose it could go to the last days or it could happen in the next two days."