Bale tipped to stay at Real Madrid for a 'long, long time'

Ramon Calderon has urged Los Blancos to hand the Welsh forward a new contract to keep the Premier League clubs ready to 'break the bank' away from the 26-year-old.

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has encouraged the Spanish club to ensure Gareth Bale remains at the Santiago Bernabeu for many years to come.

The 26-year-old has three years to run on his current contract, but is reportedly set to be offered an extension to take him up until 2021, when he will be 31.

Calderon expects him to agree new terms and does not envisage him leaving Madrid any time soon.

"He did it very well against Sevilla and everyone here is very happy, so it's quite reasonable that they are offering him the contract extension," Calderon is quoted as saying by the BBC.

"I don’t see any reason for him to leave Real Madrid."

A new deal would come as a setback to the potential suitors hoping to lure Bale back to England, though.

The Welsh forward - who scored his 43rd goal league goal and overtook Gary Lineker as the top scoring Briton in La Liga on Sunday - has constantly been linked with a return to the United Kingdom, but Calderon insists Madrid can keep the Premier League’s financial muscle at bay.

He added: "We are not a selling club. We are a buying club. We've got him and we'd like to have him for a long, long time."

"It's not unusual [there’s interest]. No doubt a lot of clubs in Europe would break the bank to have him. He's a top player."