Speculation has persisted over the past few weeks that Real Madrid are intent on breaking the world transfer record to sign Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale.
Spurs have maintained that the Welsh international will not be allowed to leave White Hart Lane, despite the Spanish giants reportedly offering in the region of £85m.
However, there is a growing feeling that the 23-year-old has expressed his desire to move to Spain, and Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that discussions are going on between the two clubs.
If Bale does leave Spurs, then that will leave the club with a substantial amount of funds to sign a replacement, but after failing to qualify for the Champions League, that could hinder their search for a player of the same quality as the Welshman.
Below, Sports Mole has listed five players who could be considered for a move to North London.
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After arriving at Old Trafford in 2007, Nani soon established himself as one of the leading names on the Manchester United teamsheet.
The Portuguese winger played pivotal roles in the club's Premier League title wins, while contributing to back-to-back appearances in the Champions League final.
However, the 26-year-old fell out of favour at United last season, and that has seen him linked with a move to France to play for Paris Saint-Germain or Monaco.
It has been reported in recent days that he could agree a new deal at Old Trafford, but if Bale is sold before a contract is signed, then there is a chance that he could be granted a fresh start at White Hart Lane.
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Argentinian midfielder Angel di Maria has been a regular fixture in Real Madrid's starting lineup ever since he joined the club from Benfica in 2010.
The 25-year-old also made as many as 52 appearances for Madrid last season, taking his tally to 137 matches over three seasons.
However, Di Maria has been mentioned as a possible makeweight in any deal for Bale, which could indicate that Los Blancos are prepared to allow the winger to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.
There would be no shortage of interest in Di Maria should he become available, but if he is guaranteed a regular start at White Hart Lane, then that could be enough for him to agree to a move to England.
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Ever since his departure from Palermo in 2011, Javier Pastore has played a huge part in Paris Saint-Germain's return to the top of French football.
He helped the Ligue 1 outfit to their first league title in 19 years last season and also scored three times during their run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Pastore is seemingly settled in France, but it has been reported that Tottenham have targeted the attacking midfielder if they fail to hang on to Bale.
Spurs would likely have to break the bank to secure the services of the Argentina international, but with a significant transfer chest at his disposal, boss Andre Villas-Boas could press forward with a bid for the 24-year-old.
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The name of Atletico Mineiro winger Bernard has been linked with many European clubs throughout the summer.
The 20-year-old looks likely to move to either Porto or Shakhtar Donetsk in the coming days after reportedly rejecting the advances of Arsenal.
That could see a potential move to Tottenham as unlikely, but the Brazilian's stance on playing in England could change should he be given indications that he would become a leading player for the club.
Spurs also have two Brazilians in their ranks, Paulinho and Sandro, who could help encourage the youngster to ply his trade at White Hart Lane.
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Barcelona winger Cristian Tello has been tipped to become a regular at Camp Nou for years to come after an impressive introduction to the first team.
The 21-year-old has already scored 15 goals in 56 appearances over a two-year period and has also helped Spain to the Under-21 European Championship in June.
However, after the Catalan giants signed Neymar, it is unclear whether Tello will enjoy the same amount of playing time as he has in previous seasons.
Liverpool were linked with a move earlier in the summer, but Spurs could see Tello as a handy short-term replacement for Bale as they attempt to return to the Champions League next season.
Darren Plant
