Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas has alluded to fears that the club could lose Gareth Bale at the end of the season.

The ex-Chelsea boss 'hopes' that the Wales international will remain at White Hart Lane if the North London outfit manage to clinch Champions League football for next season.

"It's difficult for us to have a player of this dimension playing so well and it is difficult for other teams with the economic situation to buy a player of this dimension," The Express quotes Villas-Boas as saying. "At the moment we are very fortunate to have him.

"I believe we can reach our objectives with him at this level and, if we reach our objectives, we can hopefully continue to have Gareth in our club."

Spurs are currently in fourth place in the Premier League table, just one point behind Chelsea with 13 games left to go.