Tottenham Hotspur will be targeting a big improvement this term.

The North London side finished last term in sixth position after a really disappointing season.

Spurs struggled to put a solid run of form together, and in the end qualifying for the Europa League was seen as a relative success.

But that doesn't mean that standard have dropped.

Daniel Levy brought in Jose Mourinho to challenge for the title and win silverware, and we know that he won't settle for anything less.

But if Tottenham are to do that then they'll need to strengthen.

Levy has already brought in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Hart and Matt Doherty from Southampton, Burnley and Wolves respectively, but the feeling is that they're far from done.

Tottenham are going to be looking at several new signings, but one player who's continuously linked is Gareth Bale.

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The Wales international left the North London club for a move to Real Madrid, where he has since won a shed load of silverware and plaudits.

However things have since gone sour with a fallout with Zinedine Zidane leaving his future at the club in doubt.

A deal to bring him back to the club would be astronomical in cost, and according to Alasdair Gold of Football London, there's just no way that such a deal could be funded in the current climate.

Writing for Football London, Gold said: "Financially, even with help, it would be such a tough deal for Spurs to do.

"Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett laughed at the prospect of them signing him this year and then said he couldn't see it ever happening.

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"Perhaps there's the slimmest of slim hopes with the sheer mess of his Madrid situation and Spurs would love him back but the numbers would be staggering for a 31-year-old even with help."

GIVEMESPORT'S Phil Spencer says...

We would love this deal to happen.

Unfortunately I just can't see it coming to fruition.

Valued at £25.2million, Gareth Bale is still a top, top player and deserves to be treated as such by being the main man with a big club.

But things at Real Madrid have turned a little bit sour.

I understand that he's on a massive contract and so the temptation of sticking around to pick up that pay cheque has to be appealing.

A footballer's career is incredibly short and it would be a real shame to see Bale pale into insignificance as the final years of his career dwindle away.

I'm sure the player would love to complete a move to another club so that he can enjoy another few years at the highest level, but ultimately money talks and that will be dictate how this situation plays out.