David Dein urges Gareth Bale to stay in the Premier League

Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein hopes that Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale stays in the Premier League next season.

Bale enjoyed a sensational campaign at White Hart Lane last season, scoring 21 goals en route to being crowned the PFA's Player and Young Player of the Year.

The Welshman's form has seen him repeatedly linked with a lucrative move to Real Madrid this summer, and Dein has said that he feels Bale's departure will be a blow to the overall quality of the Premier League.

"He's an asset to the Premier League and he has his best years ahead of him," Dein told Sky Sports News.

"I hope he doesn't leave because he's good for Spurs and good for the Premier League to have the best players in it. Gareth Bale is one of the most talented players in the world, not just England.

"It will be an interesting battle between [Madrid president] Florentino Perez and [Spurs chairman] Daniel Levy. It will be a meeting of the minds."

Perez recently dropped a hint that the club will make a move for Bale this summer.