'You'll have to ask Jose Mourinho' — Gareth Bale's agent's blunt response as he speaks out publicly on Tottenham absence

Gareth Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett was speaking at the Financial Times' Business of Football seminar and was asked about his client

Gareth Bale's agent has spoken publicly about the Tottenham star's lack of game time under Jose Mourinho this term.

The Wales talisman, on loan to Spurs from Real Madrid this season, has failed to really hit the heights he has set in years gone by after returning to north London.

Amid a number of niggling injury troubles, Mourinho has scarcely handed the Welshman a place in his starting line-ups and Bale has subsequently not been able to gain any consistency as a result.

But agent Jonathan Barnett, who was speaking at the Financial Times' Business of Football seminar, said only Spurs boss Mourinho can answer just why Bale has seen such limited game time this term.

"He's towards the end of his career," Barnett said.

"You have to ask Mourinho that.

"When they say what's happened to him he's won more trophies abroad than any player in British history. He's done very well financially, he has money for the rest of his life."

It has not been a dream return to the club which helped fire Bale into the spotlight a decade ago.

Bale, reared by the Southampton academy, joined Spurs in 2007 and, despite a slow start, grew to become one of the most potent attacking players in the Premier League under Harry Redknapp.

But it could have been so different, Barnett revealed, with a number of clubs offering Bale far more money when he left Southampton. However, the vision for Bale at Tottenham made the choice far simpler.

"With Gareth we always knew where he wanted to be," Barnett added. "We knew he had the talent so when clubs came in, the first thing we did was looking at the clubs that were there and the ones to progress his career.

"We chose Tottenham for clear reasons - the path to the first team, there was good coaching. We turned down two offers for more money than what we offered at the time but we spoke with him, his parents and they listened to us and he finished up at Real Madrid."

The wording at the end of that last sentence will hope that is just an unfortunate turn of phrase.

Many this side of the Severn Bridge do not believe the 31-year-old to be "finished up" and feel he has a lot more to offer, especially with the Euros just around the corner with Wales.

Bale has four goals in 16 appearances for Spurs this term, however has been used sparingly in the Premier League.

With 15 games still to go, though, there is plenty of time for the Welshman to stamp his mark at the back end of this campaign and Mourinho and Spurs fans will no doubt be hopeful that is the case.