Chelsea Transfer Rumors: Are Blues on the Verge of Making £40m Bid for Tottenham’s Gareth Bale?

With the January transfer window close at hand, London giant Chelsea are reported to be interested in young Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, and are set to make a £40-million bid to lure away the Welshman from White Hart Lane to Stamford Bridge.

Bale, according to previous reports, is said to have been under Chelsea's radar for quite some time, which started off during the Carlo Ancelotti era at the Stamford Bridge. Now the Blues are set to make an offer for the talented Welshman in January.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp may lose his star player if the club fails to secure a place in the top four and remains unsuccessful to participate in Europe's most elite cup competition. Chairman Daniel Levy may also find it hard to hold on to the winger if the aforementioned requirements are not met.

Chelsea, previously, tried to lure away Croatian star Luka Modric from the Spurs who himself wanted to leave, but Redknapp and Levy intervened before any such deal could happen and all the advances made by Andre Villas-Boas were turned down.

The Blues boss is said to be backed by owner and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in his pursuit of Bale, according to a Caughtoffside report.

Bale started his senior career with Southampton in 2006 and became only the second youngest player ever, after Theo Walcott, to play for Southampton. He scored his first league goal from a free kick against Derby County.

He later joined Tottenham in 2007, signing a four-year deal in a £10 million (roundabout) acquisition and made his first competitive appearance for the Spurs in an away game against Manchester United, and scored his first goal for the club in his second game against Fulham in a 3-3 draw.

Bale has made 86 appearances for Spurs and has managed to find the back of the net 15 times.