Where Wales star earned his Spurs – Gareth Bale’s time at Tottenham in pictures
Bale is back at Spurs, having left to join Real Madrid seven years ago.
Gareth Bale has returned to Tottenham on a season-long loan deal.
The Welshman developed into one of the Premier League’s shining stars during his stint at Spurs before heading to Real Madrid seven years ago for a then world-record fee of £85.3million.
His early years at Tottenham were blighted by injuries and a lack of clarity over where he was best suited, while his first victory as a starter in the top flight came at the 23rd time of asking in January 2010.
Bale quickly kicked on, as later that year he bagged a hat-trick against Inter Milan at San Siro, with Spurs losing 4-3 despite his efforts, while he was subsequently integral to a famous Tottenham win over the reigning European champions at White Hart Lane.
In his final season before moving to Spain, he scored 21 times in 33 top-flight appearances – the first time he had reached double figures – to collect a glut of individual honours.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look back at Bale’s time with Tottenham in pictures.
![Bale bagged his first Tottenham goal in September 2007 but he would not experience his first win as a starter in the Premier League until January 2010 (Nick Potts/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/76b8f33e0c06fd456357466b7efde4d0Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzI4NDk5/2.5068413.jpg?w=640)
![Bale struggled to make an initial impression at Tottenham, with injuries leading to his progress faltering (Martin Rickett/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/b8f03a130ac0fc3c9039249edc33a239Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzI4OTQw/2.13446550.jpg?w=640)
![Bale, left, often found himself competing with Benoit Assou-Ekotto, right for a starting role (Martin Rickett/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/e1b4d9c116b0cbf6830f65b7e39d6370Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzMxNzYw/2.6782937.jpg?w=640)
![Bale gradually started to flourish on the domestic and European stage (Nick Potts/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/a8076238a3ac080d88e78f860966a754Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzI5NzUw/2.9553402.jpg?w=640)
![Bale elevated his status with a Champions League hat-trick at the San Siro before playing a starring role in the return match against Inter Milan (Jonathan Brady/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/bf52aec65c3ff2a669fa7e4323ca49e7Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzMwNjI2/2.15989432.jpg?w=640)
![Having initially started out as a left-back at Tottenham, Bale realised his potential further up the flank (Nick Potts/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/0f06e33010caecd56debce341da4e89bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzMxMDgx/2.14787274.jpg?w=640)
![Bale was indisputably Tottenham's leading light in his final season in 2012-13 (Nick Potts/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/f4979462c4a30821c65a84ce53c4f2fbY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzMxODc2/2.15699060.jpg?w=640)
![Bale, left, scored 21 times in 33 Premier League games in 2012-13 before leaving for Real Madrid (Adam Davy/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/dd90f25598aa36b539e2f2f155bcf4d5Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjAwMzMyMDQ5/2.15911421.jpg?w=640)