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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has shut down the possibility of Gareth Bale making a deadline-day return to Tottenham Hotspur on Friday.
The Times reported there was a "growing confidence" at Tottenham that they could sign Bale on Friday following talks in Madrid between chairman Daniel Levy and Real president Florentino Perez.
However, Zidane said at his Friday press conference, per theMirror'sAlex Richards: "Gareth is here with us, and I am counting on him. I am not contemplating this possibility [Bale leaving].