Bale To Stay At Saints

Gareth Bale today put fans mind's at ease when it was announced that he had signed a new deal with the club and would not be going anywhere. Fans had been worried that a situation similar to the one which involved Theo Walcott's move to Arsenal would arise. Bale had been linked with moves to Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United.

However, Bale signed a two year contract yesterday, his seventeenth birthday. He will now be contracted to the club until July 2008.

Bale laughed off suggestions of a big money move to a top Premiership team by telling www.saintsfc.co.uk:-

'It was flattering to see my name linked with a few clubs - and I got a bit of stick off my mates for that.'

'But I am very happy at Southampton and I can learn a lot more here than at any other club where I would just be a Reserve team
player.'

Bale, who has only made one first team start at the end of last season instantly proved a hit with fans and is obviously eager to establish himself as a first team regular. He told the Saints Official Site:-

'That was an amazing end to the season for me. It is barely a year since I came here as a first-year scholar and I have already played for the first-team and my country and signed a professional contract.'

'I just need a run of games to help me because I still have a lot to learn and I am really looking forward to pushing on this
season.'

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