Gareth Bale will demand Real Madrid pay the final year of his contract even if he does not play for the club again, according to reports.
The Wales international is currently on a season-long loan at Tottenham, who have the right to extend that deal by another 12 months.
Recent stories suggest Spurs could sign Bale permanently this summer, with Madrid keen to raise funds through player sales.
However, the Daily Mirror report that Bale is not willing to forego the final year of his Madrid contract, which is worth in the region of £600,000 per week.
That indicates that the Welshman would prefer Tottenham to take up the option of another season-long loan.
Bale is open to staying at Spurs until the end of his Madrid deal in the summer of 2022.
An extension of the loan deal would force the Spanish giants to continue subsidising his pay packet.
A return to the Santiago Bernabeu is unlikely for as long as Zinedine Zidane remains in charge of los Blancos.
Madrid could therefore be forced to continue spending huge sums on the 31-year-old’s salary in 2021/22.
Bale was the star of the show as Tottenham thrashed Burnley 4-0 on Sunday, scoring two goals and providing an assist on what was only his third Premier League start of the season.
The Madrid loanee has struggled for game time in the top flight since returning to north London, with Jose Mourinho appearing to criticise him on several occasions.
However, Bale is expected to play a key role between now and the end of the campaign.
Tottenham return to Premier League action against Fulham on Thursday, before hosting Crystal Palace in another London derby this weekend.
Mourinho’s side currently sit eighth in the table, six points adrift of the Champions League places.
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