Gareth Bale is 'almost guaranteed' to be a Tottenham Hotspur player next season, according to Dean Jones while speaking on the latest episode of the Touchline Talk Podcast. 

What are the latest rumours involving Gareth Bale? 

Earlier this week, The Daily Mail claimed there was a 'growing sense' that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy believed keeping Bale on a deal likely to cost around £12m was worth the outlay. 

Mauricio Pochettino was SO POOR! Ex-Spurs boss taking pelters on The Football Terrace...

Indeed, it's thought Levy is likely to offer whoever takes over from Jose Mourinho ahead of next season the chance to work with the Welshman and, according to Jones, it is hugely likely he will stay for another season at least. 

"This is almost guaranteed I think at this point," he said from the 15:30 mark. 

"Tottenham do have first option to take Gareth Bale again next season. Not only that, they've got first option to take him on exactly the same terms."

How much are Tottenham paying Bale in wages? 

That Mail report suggested Spurs were shelling out around £240k of the reported £600k-per-week Bale is earning from parent club from Real Madrid. 

Given Jones alludes to the fact the North London side have a deal lined up on the same terms, that sort of split can surely be expected to continue. 

Could the new manager change that? 

That would seem unlikely as the discussion then moves on to how much Levy himself wants Bale in the squad ahead of next season. 

"I also don't think it really matters who the manager is," he adds from 16:56 onwards. 

"I don't think they're going to have much say in this."

How well has Gareth Bale played this season? 

Few would doubt the fact that, at times, it's been a difficult campaign for the 31-year-old. 

Still, he's scored 14 goals in 30 games including eight in his last eight Premier League games and Bale's overall contribution has been positive.

According to WhoScored data, he ranks within Spurs' top five players for shots, key passes and dribbles per game, while FBREF analytics also note he leads the way in terms of shots on target per game (1.86), even more than star man Harry Kane. 

Considering his status in the game as well as his impact this season, the chance to sign Bale again does look like one worth taking, particularly on favourable terms. 

What has Harry Kane said about Bale? 

With Kane having emerged as Tottenham's leading player following Bale's exit, the idea of the two playing together would surely have delighted supporters.

Certainly, though it's not been an easy season for Spurs, the two do look capable of playing off of each other, directly combining for three goals in twenty-one games so far. 

"The new boys that joined us over the summer have been great; they've settled in really quickly," wrote the England captain in Spurs' matchday programme back in November. 

"They've been playing really well whenever they have been on the pitch. I think [Joe] Harty has been a big boost to have in the changing room, to have that experience of winning major titles, which is the same as Gareth as well.

"Everyone that has come in has been doing really well so we have real competition all over the pitch and that is healthy competition, which hopefully continues."