I have to admit, I spent most of my life paying zero attention if not downright loathing soccer, but marrying a former college soccer player, and then starting to watch EPL games with my son, I've done a complete 180.  Or course, my son goes and becomes a huge Gareth Bale fan, so we all get on board with Spurs, and now this.  I think I kind of hate soccer again.    

     This transfer process is just painful, utterly painful.
		
 
		
	 
I hate to say this, but you're in for a lifetime of this unless Spurs get new owners.  Realistically there are 2 EPL teams screwing around with insane play money, and the rest have to inevitably turn some sort of profit.  I really don't think his value is going to get much higher than it is right now, and if he goes to Madrid at least he's not staying in the EPL to beat up on Spurs twice a year.  Arsenal still have to play against RvP twice a year, that sucks.
Is Bale's contract up at the end of this season?  I'm not 100% on the Bosman rules, but would he be able to move to Spain for free in a year?  The Steve McManaman move.  I am not entirely sure on his contract though.
My recommendation is to stay away from transfer news entirely until a deal happens.  I get my little snippets of gossip from this thread and if I see something on SBI or Twitter or something, but otherwise I don't even read it anymore until a deal is signed and the player has the ol' hold-up-a-jersey-and-smile-for-the-cameras press conference.