Tottenham ‘losing patience’ with Gareth Bale after underwhelming return to club

Bale's application has been questioned

So far, it's fair to say Gareth Bale's second stint as a Tottenham player hasn't exactly gone to plan. The Welshman has struggled to make an impression since returning to north London in a loan deal from Real Madrid last year, remaining on the bench for the entirety of their Premier League defeat by Chelsea on Thursday night. Jose Mourinho made headlines for his evasive response when asked about why Bale didn't feature in the game, with reports now claiming that patience with the 31-year-old running out at Spurs. According to the Daily Mail, there was disappointment at Bale's work rate when he was given a rare start in the 1-0 loss at Brighton last weekend, with the report even adding that Graham Potter's players had expressed their surprise at his lack of intensity. Jose Mourinho, who has come in for considerable criticism for Spurs' recent spell of poor performances, is said to have not viewed Bale's return to the club as a priority in the summer, with the club's hierarchy pushing for the deal to happen. Despite this, there is still hope that Bale can turn things around and reignite the club's Champions League qualification aspirations. They will look to end their run of three straight league defeats when they host West Brom on Sunday.