Harry Redknapp Warns Bale Not For Sale

Harry Redknapp has warned that winger Gareth Bale is not for sale after he hit a hat-trick last night during Tottenham Hotspur's 4-3 defeat to Inter Milan.

The London club were in trouble after the first fifteen minutes as they went 3-0 down and lost goalkeeper Gomes when he was given a red card for bringing down Jonathan Biabiany.

3-0 came 4-0 by half time and Tottenham looked down and out in the Champions League clash. But it was Bale who led the attack after half time and the manager had nothing put praise for his player.

Speaking to the BBC after the match Redknapp said: "He's a player that we hope to build a team around.

"There's no way that we would or should contemplate selling him at the moment, certainly not in the near future. If Tottenham sell Gareth Bale now, it would send out the wrong signals about Spurs being a selling club.

"It was a fantastic hat-trick from Gareth. He's as good a left-sided player as there is anywhere around, there aren't too many in the world better than him.

"Even in the first half, he gave [Inter full-back] Maicon a torrid time. Aaron Lennon did the same on other side. It gives us something to work on when Inter come to Spurs [on 2 November]."

Tottenham conceded early, in the first two minutes, when Javier Zanetti found the back of the net, This lead was doubled by Samuel Eto'o as he converted from the penalty spot.

Dejan Stankovic added a third before the clock showed fifteen minutes and Inter Milan were in full control of the match, adding a fourth ten minutes before half time.

But Tottenham came out after half time with more drive and purpose and it soon became the Gareth Bale show as he pulled his team to within a whisker of a draw as he found the back of the net in the fifty second, ninetieth and ninety first minute.

Inter Milan currently sit top of Group a on seven points while Tottenham are just behind on four.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw