With one banner, Gareth Bale has finally reached a point of no return at Real Madrid.

'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.' The forward left no illusions as to his priorities after his country qualified for Euro 2020.

To say he has been provoked would be an understatement, Zinedine Zidane treating him as an outcast ever since his return. 

There is only one logical conclusion to their stand-off, however, and that is for Bale to leave the Bernabeu. 

The Welshman has been linked with moves to the Chinese Super League or the Premier League, with Manchester United previously having been favourites to land his signature. 

What's changed is Jose Mourinho's arrival at Tottenham Hotspur, with AS and WalesOnline both reporting that the new man in charge wants to bring Bale back to north London. 

Agent Jonathan Barnett, told the first source that he expected his client to move on in the summer, rather than in January - though that was before 'Banner-gate'.

The 30-year-old originally left White Hart Lane in 2013 in a then world record £86million deal.

Bale would likely have to take a pay cut to re-join Spurs, with Harry Kane the only player to earn anywhere near the £200,000-a-week mark and that is including bonuses.

Even so, the time may finally be right for him to quit the Spanish capital. Real were reluctant to sell one of their top scorers in recent years until they had replaced him with Kylian Mbappe but his antics on international duty have hurried the process along.

And Tottenham now have a 'galactico' of sorts of their own in the dugout. Mourinho's pulling power has already been demonstrated in the appointments of top backroom staff from across Europe.

WalesOnline also suggest he is keen to bring in Sporting Lisbon's Bruno Fernandes and Juventus' Paulo Dybala, Mauricio Pochettino having tried to sign the latter in the summer before the bid was scuppered by complications over image rights. 

All the indications are that Mourinho wants to spend big and Bale would certainly be a statement of intent.

Has he come to the wrong club? There are conflicting reports about whether Daniel Levy will allow Mourinho to go on one of his sprees in the transfer market. 

There are even suggestions he will have no money at all. Yet if his wish is granted, Bale could be the perfect first signing of the new era.