Tottenham Hotspur forward Gareth Bale is relishing the opportunity to work with manager Jose Mourinho who had unsuccessfully tried to sign the Welshman in the past. Bale completed a loan move from Spanish champions Real Madrid back to his former club Spurs on Saturday, ending a seven-year stay at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho said he tried to sign Bale when he was in charge of Real from 2010 to 2013. The Wales international was also regularly linked with a move to Manchester United when the Portuguese was in charge at Old Trafford.

“He’s spoken to me about a few positions that he would like me to play and obviously I’m happy with that,” Bale, 31, said. “He was a big reason for me coming back here, he’s a household name and a winner. He’s the perfect fit for Tottenham.”