Zinedine Zidane hints at Real Madrid move for Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale The former France midfielder, now Real Madrid's sporting director, believes the Welshman is not far behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the overall pecking order. "This year the player who's impressed me most is not actually playing in the Champions League," Zidane said. "He's playing in "the other cup," and that's Bale. He's unique. He makes things look easy, his pace is frightening, his acceleration is unbelievable because of his ability to go through the gears in very little space. Plus, he's very good technically. We mustn't forget that he plays football very well. And he's really impressed me. I've seen him two or three times live, including recently at Lyon, which wasn't necessarily his best game. Every time he got the ball he can surprise you. Asked about how Bale compared with the two players widely accepted as the best in the world, Messi and Ronaldo, Zidane added: "He's perhaps not quite at the level of the other two but he's different. So personally I don't think he's far off. The ringing endorsement of the three-time Fifa World Player of the Year is sure to fuel already rampant speculation that the Spanish giants are lining up a summer bid for Bale. Bale, 23, signed a new four-year deal at Tottenham last summer but said in December that he would "look seriously" at a move abroad. "It would be nice to experience other leagues and other cultures," he said. I'm not afraid to go abroad. If the time comes and a team that's right comes in for me, then I'll look at it seriously. I'll see what happens. With Spurs having successfully held out for £30 million for Luka Modric last summer, it is difficult to imagine chairman Daniel Levy even considering any offers below £50 million for Bale. Friends of the Wales winger have predicted that his long-term future will still be defined by whether Spurs" qualify for the Champions League and also show they can compete for silverware. Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has said the club have "no intention" of selling their star player