Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has refused to comment on the club's attempts to re-sign Gareth Bale.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The PA news agency understands the Real Madrid winger's representatives are working on a deal to take Bale back to Spurs.
But before his side's Europa League second-round qualifying clash with Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Mourinho said: "Gareth Bale is a Real Madrid player and I don't comment on players from other clubs.
"That is not my job to have contacts with agents. I don't want to comment on that."
The 31-year-old Bale swapped the north London club for the Spanish capital for a then world-record transfer fee in 2013 - winning four Champions Leagues during a medal-laden stint at the Bernabeu - after Mourinho left the Spanish giants.
"I tried to sign him for Real Madrid which was not possible during my time there," Mourinho said.
"But the president followed my instinct and followed my knowledge and, the season I left, he brought Gareth to the club.
"There is no secret on that. Even Gareth knows that."
More recently, Bale has found himself marginalised under Zinedine Zidane and a return to Spurs could be on the cards.
The two parties were still in discussions to get the move done on Wednesday morning, PA understands.
It is a complicated deal that will inevitably encounter problems given Bale's wages and contract length at the Bernabeu, but it is one that the Welshman is keen to make.
Bale accused Madrid of blocking a move to the Chinese Super League earlier this year.
"There have been other incidents when we've tried to go but the club wouldn't allow it or have done something," the Wales star told broadcaster Sky earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Tottenham trained with a full squad for their European trip to Bulgaria.
Giovani Lo Celso was present after he missed Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Everton with a hamstring injury.
Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura were all present as boss Mourinho looks set to travel with a strong squad.
Mourinho said Tanguy Ndombele is not fit enough to start but his process is a "positive" one.
Australian Associated Press