'He's won more UCL titles than United!' - Crouch hails Bale's Spurs return

Peter Crouch is delighted Tottenham have a proven winner in Gareth Bale back in the fold and insists the star is ‘as hungry as ever’.

Bale has returned to Tottenham on a season-long loan deal after falling out of favor at Real Madrid. He hopes to revive his career at a familiar stomping ground, leaving many to debate the kind of impact he could make.

The Welsh star was phenomenal during his first spell in north London, transitioning from a full-back to a winger superbly. It led to an impressive 56 goals and 58 assists in 203 games.

Seven years on from his world-record departure, Bale has experienced his fair share of highs and lows. The last two seasons, in particular, have been challenging. They saw him become an isolated figure in the Real Madrid camp, fall out of favor with Zinedine Zidane, and earn constant backlash from fans.

This is your home. #BaleIsBack ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/lmhmfhTh2O

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 19, 2020

Many questioned Bale’s attitude during that period as well, mostly for his activities outside football. While concerns regarding his form and fitness were never far away from the Spanish capital.

But Crouch, who made 66 appearances alongside Bale during his first stint at Spurs, is confident Jose Mourinho’s side won’t suffer such problems with the 31-year-old.

“He hasn’t changed one single bit,” Crouch wrote on the Daily Mail.

“He’s won more Champions Leagues than Manchester United and he has got no financial worries but, trust me, he is as hungry as ever.

“All he wanted was to be happy again and now that he is, he’ll bang goals in left, right and center.

“Fair play to Tottenham for pulling their finger out, as there was interest in Gareth from other clubs.

“I’m not going to say this is a fairytale but it is a piece of business that has left everyone involved — player, club, supporters — delighted. I hope it comes up trumps.”