Mesut Ozil wasn't the only big-money move involving Real Madrid over the summer transfer window, as Gareth Bale became the world's most expensive player when he moved to the Bernabeu on September 1. Real paid an eye-watering £85 million for the Tottenham midfielder - a world-record fee - and made the £42 million put down by Arsenal for Ozil look like pocket money. Tottenham battled hard to keep hold of the influential Bale but one of 2013's most protracted 'will he-won't he' transfer sagas was concluded when it became apparent the money the Spaniard's were prepared to pay was too much to turn down. Spurs would go on to spend all of the Bale proceeds, and then some, by going on a £100 million shopping spree which saw Christian Eriksen, Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela all move to White Hart Lane. However, those signings have proved largely ineffective and the loss of Bale told when manager Andre Villas-Boas was sacked on December 16 for a poor run of results.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
