Real Madrid dismantle Bale stage as presentation is put on hold

Carlo Ancelotti's side play at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday and the unveiling of their world record signing is set to be put back until early next week

Real Madrid are set to take down the stage set up at the Santiago Bernabeu for the presentation of Gareth Bale, with the Welsh forward now unlikely to be unveiled by the Spanish side until Monday.

Madrid erected the platform at the Santiago Bernabeu last Friday and had hoped to unveil the Tottenham midfielder on Tuesday, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was upset by those tactics and also annoyed that Real president Florentino Perez coincided with Bale in Marbella earlier this week.

BALE TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE - BUT NOT YET

While a €100m deal is already in place, Tottenham are waiting to bring in replacements for the 24-year-old, with Willian's last minute change of heart having held up the announcement, after the Brazilian opted to move to Chelsea instead of White Hart Lane this week.

Despite that setback, Spurs have tied up a deal to bring in Erik Lamela from Roma and also hope to complete the signing of Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen.

Madrid, meanwhile, are in action in a friendly against Deportivo in Galicia on Thursday and are unlikely to announce any deal until Friday at the earliest, even though Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas has admitted that the move could go ahead "very soon".

That means the official presentation is set to be put back until Monday (the last day of the transfer window) and, with Madrid in action at home to Athletic Bilbao at midday on Sunday, the stage will need to be dismantled and then erected again after the Liga clash at the Bernabeu.