LONDON - Just four years ago Gareth Bale was considered a jinx and a flop, and faced being offloaded on the cheap by Tottenham. Failing to live up to expectations, the disillusioned gangly teenager endured more than 1,500 minutes on the pitch across 28 months before finally featuring on a winning side in the Premier League for Tottenham. Fast forward to 2013 and the now-muscular, speedy 24-year-old Bale is one of European footballs most potent attacking forces and the most sought-after asset in the summer transfer window. He could also be on the verge of becoming the worlds most expensive footballer. Real Madrid appears to be leading the chase for Bale, who would be emulating Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham in leaving the Premier League to become the Spanish clubs latest Galactico. "Real Madrids fans will be purring at the thought of having possibly him and Ronaldo in the same team," said former Tottenham player and manager Glenn Hoddle. "They can go back and challenge the world again." To prize Bale away from north London, however, Madrid is likely to have to improve on the world-record fee of 93.9 million euros (then $131 million) it paid Manchester United for Ronaldo in 2009. British and Spanish media have reported that Madrid has offered 100 million euros for Bale, although neither Tottenham nor Madrid has publicly commented on the bid. Although Tottenhams public posturing has seen a "not for sale" sign officially left dangling over Bale during the summer, it would be hard for the north London club to reject such a hefty wad of cash and retain a player agitating to join a team challenging for top titles. Because, for all the mesmerizing footwork on the ball, eye-catching goals from free kicks and defence-splitting surges, Bale doesnt have a single winners medal for show for his six years at Tottenham. Bale, who has not commented on the speculation, reported to training as usual at Tottenham on Wednesday, and Hoddle is among the many current and former players hoping he will be staying with Spurs for one more season. "I just sense that maybe he might go for the wrong reasons," said former Tottenham player and manager Glenn Hoddle. "If he wants to go just for football reasons I think it might be better in a years time or maybe two years time." It was in May 2007 that Tottenham paid just 5 million pounds (then $8 million) to bring the 17-year-old Bale from Southampton, the south-coast club then playing in the second tier. Although he scored three times in his first four starts, a series of injuries stymied his progress and he went on that frustrating run, becoming a symbol of poor results until emerging as a substitute 84 minutes into his 25th Premier League game — a 5-0 rout of Burnley. Since then, Bale has never looked back. Neither has Tottenham, which at one point was reported to have tried to use Bale as a make-weight in deals to bring in new players. After shaking off his substitutes role in January 2010, Bale began to consistently show the flair and pace that displaced left back Benoit Assou-Ekotto from the starting line-up. And, as the attacking side of Bales game began to flourish, then-manager Harry Reddknapp pushed Bale onto the left wing. Having helped to steer Tottenham into the Champions League for the first time in May 2010, Bale was rewarded with a lucrative new deal — the first of three successive annual contract upgrades. Bale announced himself to the world with two dazzling displays against Champions League holder Inter Milan in the group stage in the 2010-11 season, including a hat trick at the San Siro. As Tottenham fought off interest from rival teams, Bale was named the 2011 player of the year in England by his footballing peers. But Bale has begun to outgrow Tottenham, with the team failing to return to the Champions League despite his goal-scoring prowess and searing pace. His importance to the team was underscored last season by the fact his 21 leagues goals, many from being deployed in a more central position, helped win 22 points for Spurs, although they still finished a place outside of the top four. With his national team Wales unlikely to qualify for a major tournament, it is at club level where Bale will have to make his mark like compatriot Ryan Giggs. "He is such an exciting player, but more than that, he has a good attitude as well," Giggs said recently. "He can go far in the game." Named English footballs player of the year by his fellow professionals and journalists last season, Bale appears to be preparing the groundwork for the enhanced fame that a move to Madrid would bring. Earlier this year, he filed an application to trademark his goal celebration, a heart-shaped hand gesture he dedicates to his long-time girlfriend, to use on merchandise. But while Bale is the superstar at Tottenham, he could find himself in the shadow of Ronaldo in the Spanish capital if he didnt make an immediate impact. "When you go abroad the first four, five, six months could be difficult for him to regain that form," Hoddle said. Site Air Max 95 Pas Cher . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Vente Air Max 95 . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. http://www.airmax95france.fr/ . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. 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LONDON -- The Williams sisters could be headed for another meeting in a Grand Slam final.Venus Williams made it back to the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time in seven years on Tuesday, and defending champion Serena Williams advanced to her 10th final four at the All England Club.Mounting another title run at the age of 36, five-time champion Venus beat Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 7-6 (5), 6-2, advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2009 and first time at any major since the 2010 US Open.I love playing the game, I always have, the eighth-seeded Venus said. When youre winning matches it makes it that much sweeter. I cant lie about that.From 5-2 down in the tiebreaker, she ran off five straight points to take the first set, then rolled through the second set on No. 1 Court. Shes one win away from returning to the Wimbledon final for the first time since 2009, when she lost to Serena.The wins and the losses, they all lead to these big moments, Venus said. You cant always have this big moment. If youre Serena Williams, I guess that happens a lot. As Venus Williams, this is an awesome day.A short while later, Serena beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court, finishing the match with a 123 mph ace to extend her record in Wimbledon quarterfinals to 10-2.Venus will next face No. 4 Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion who held off No. 5 Simona Halep 7-5, 7-6 (2) in the first match on Centre Court, a defensive battle that featured 13 breaks of serve, including eight in a row in the first set.Serena will play Elena Vesnina, a 50th-ranked Russian who defeated Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-2, becoming the first unseeded womens semifinalist at Wimbledon since 2010.Asked about the possibility of meeting her sister and doubles partner in Saturdays final, Serena smiled.It would be great, she said. Obviously, shes such a tough opponent. But I want her to win so bad -- obviously not in the final if Im there. But, if Im not there, I desperately want her to win.Serena leads 16-11 ovverall and 4-2 at Wimbledon against her sister.dddddddddddd Venus defeated Serena in the 2000 semifinals en route to her first title and again in the 2008 final. Serena has beaten Venus in the 2002, `03 and 09 finals, and in the fourth round last year.Venus Williams, the oldest player in the womens field, has made a remarkable resurgence in her 19th appearance at Wimbledon. She was already the oldest player to advance to a Grand Slam quarterfinal since Martina Navratilova made it this far at Wimbledon in 1994 at the age of 37.Venus, who also won Wimbledon titles in 2001, 05 and 07, has been slowed in recent years by Sjogrens syndrome, a condition that can cause joint pain and saps energy.On Tuesday, Shvedova -- a 96th-ranked player from Kazakhstan contesting her third Grand Slam quarterfinal -- saved a set point against Venus with a forehand winner while serving at 5-4 in the first set. Shvedova then went up 5-2 in the tiebreaker, but stalled as Williams rallied to take command.What a day it was against an opponent who was just on fire, Venus said.Kerber has a 3-2 career edge against Venus, but they havent faced each other since 2014. The German won in straight sets on grass at Wimbledon at the 2012 London Olympics, and captured her first major this year in Australia.Weve had a lot of great matches, she and I. We havent played in a while, Williams said. Clearly, shes had a great year, another great result in the Slam.Serena never faced a break point Tuesday, winning the last three games of each set to extend her record against Pavlyuchenkova to 6-0. She will go into the semifinals with a 4-0 record against Vesnina.Cibulkova seemed to run out of energy after her long fourth-round win, which went to 9-7 in the third set against Agnieszka Radwanska. Her loss to Vesnina means Cibulkova can proceed with her wedding on Saturday -- she had planned to postpone the ceremony had she won Tuesday. ' ' '