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Spurs aren’t allowed to say how much they got paid for Gareth Bale
And he’s not allowed to talk smack about them either.
Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Gareth Bale’s transfer agreement has leaked and his agent is mad. “There should be an inquiry and an independent investigation. I think it’s disgraceful that people can get hold of this sort of stuff. It shows complete disregard for both clubs and the player,” said Jonathan Barnett.
The contract reveals that Bale is indeed the world’s most expensive footballer. He would have cost less than Cristiano Ronaldo if Real Madrid paid the entire fee up front, but because they chose to pay in installments, he’ll end up costing €100 million. The deal also prevents Tottenham Hotspur from making that information public, and Bale from saying anything disparaging about Spurs.
Goal of the day
Sheyi Ojo’s strike for Liverpool in the FA Cup. (r/soccer)
In the news
Javier Mascherano will plead guilty to tax evasion and get a suspended jail sentence. (El Mundo)
Real Madrid and Barcelona are the two richest teams in the world, but Manchester United is expected to surpass them in 2017. (BBC)
All of Arsenal’s stars are fit again! (Guardian)
Benny Feilhaber had some hot USMNT takes and Jürgen Klinsmann basically told him to sit down. (ESPN FC)
Klinsmann, by the way, makes a lot of money. (SI)
Maurizio Sarri will serve a two-game suspension for homophobic insults. (Football Italia)
Lionel Messi will be fit this weekend after sitting out Wednesday’s Copa del Rey game. (Mirror)
Papy Djilobodji has joined Werder Bremen on loan from Chelsea. (Werder)
You should be reading
Nick Miller on the 1971-72 season as part of a long history series. (The Set Pieces)
Ian King on Whitehawk’s rise and proposed name change. (Two Hundred Percent)
Jonathan Wilson on Chelsea not getting better under Guus Hiddink. (Guardian)
Fun with transfer rumors
Silly season has returned. Please don’t take anything in this section too seriously.
Víctor Valdés is going somewhere, though no one’s sure where. (ESPN FC)
Liverpool bid for Alex Teixeira, who tweaked his hamstring after this news broke. (BBC)
Franz Beckenbauer admits that Robert Lewandowski to Real Madrid is possible. (Marca)
Mauro Zárate is headed from West Ham to Fiorentina. (Guardian)
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