Spurs Ready to Make Bale Highest-Paid Player in Club History - Report

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to make Gareth Bale the highest-paid player in the club's history, by offering him a new contract worth £130,000 per week, in order to keep him at White Hart Lane for at least one more season.

The 23-year-old, who earns around £75,000 per week, has scored 15 goals in 24 Premier League appearances this season, and has been the English top flight's undisputed standout performer since the turn of the year.

Bale signed a new contract with Tottenham in June, tying himself to the club until 2016. Nevertheless, the Welshman has been heavily linked with a summer move to a top European club, with long-time admirers Real Madrid and German giants Bayern Munich understood to be battling each other to snap him up.

However, according to the Evening Standard, Spurs are now prepared to offer the winger a new and improved four-year deal. The report also claims the prospect of Bale signing a new contract depends on the club qualifying for next season's Champions League.

Tottenham sit third in the Premier League table, two points ahead of Chelsea and four above cross-town rivals Arsenal, who visit White Hart Lane for the north London derby on Sunday. Bale has been central to Spurs' recent progress and has netted eight times in the last six games, to settle some tight contests in the club's favour.

If Bale signs a new deal with Tottenham, it will place club chairman Daniel Levy in a stronger negotiating position when it comes to a potential sale. Bale is currently valued in excess of £50m but Real and Bayern are both understood to be willing to meet that price tag.

Real, who signed a "partnership agreement" with Tottenham, after signing Luka Modric from the club last summer, have been touted as favourites to land the Southampton product, if and when he leaves White Hart Lane. Recent reports even stated Los Blancos president Florentino Perez would base his upcoming re-election campaign on bringing Bale to the Bernabeu in the summer.

Meanwhile, soon-to-be Bayern manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly earmarked the Welsh international as his top summer target and is ready to shell out a major portion of his £100m transfer kitty to land his man.