Martin Jol takes credit for Gareth Bale's Tottenham Hotspur switch

Fulham manager Martin Jol has admitted that the part he played in taking Gareth Bale to Tottenham Hotspur is "very satisfying".

The Dutch boss was at the helm of White Hart Lane when the Wales international moved to North London from Southampton in 2007.

This season, the 23-year-old has been mentioned in the same regard as La Liga stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi due to his prolific form.

"I saw Bale at Southampton when he was 15, we followed him and other people came in but I had a few words with his mum to convince him to come to Spurs," Jol said in a press conference.

"With hindsight it's very satisfying, he's probably the best player in the Premier League at the moment and he shows it week in, week out."

There have been reports that Bale could leave Spurs in the summer transfer window, with clubs including Real Madrid thought to be considering a bid.