Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Daniel Levy is due to hold showdown talks with Real Madrid in the next 24 hours - but Tottenham have already admitted defeat in keeping Gareth Bale.

Spurs director Keith Mills conceded on Tuesday that player power will force the deal through, even though the north Londoners are holding out for a world record £105m fee.

Real's president Florentino Perez, whose club are on a pre-season tour in the US, has organised a summit with Tottenham chairman Levy to try to resolve a transfer saga where both sides are entrenched and refusing to budge.

But ahead of that sit-down in Miami, Mills said: "If a player is desperate to leave, it's very difficult to force him to stay. We've seen it in other clubs.

"Even if he has a contract, you can't force somebody to play for you."

Bale, who has missed most of Tottenham's pre-season with what seems a conveniently-timed injury, reported for training again on Tuesday.

But it seems inevitable, despite Levy playing hardball, that he will leave - the club have already removed his image from the club's official Twitter home page, while it has also been claimed he has received threats from Spurs fans.

The saga has been dragging on, with Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas last week insisting that Real should show more respect.

And it is understood that the Spanish giants have moved to try and make peace.

Real's director general Jose Angel Sanchez has been in contact with Tottenham technical director Franco Baldini to try to smooth things over, confirm the US meeting and discuss potential player-plus-cash elements in the Bale deal.

Tottenham are keen on young striker Alvaro Morata but new Real boss Carlo Ancelotti wants to keep him.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

At the moment, the only player that seems likely to suit both sides as a makeweight is Portuguese left-back Fabio Coentrao.

Bale and his advisers have now forced the issue, and despite the stand-off it seems increasingly likely that the latest round of talks will push the saga closer to conclusion.

Tottenham have already started rebuilding for life without Bale, buying Brazil midfielder Paulinho, Spain striker Roberto Soldado and Belgium winger Nacer Chadli for the best part of a combined £50m.

"We are investing in a great squad and we hope that provides us with Champions League football next year and we start to win trophies," added Mills. "That's what Tottenham need. We have made some good acquisitions."

Mills also believes Tottenham's stability, with Villas-Boas taking charge of his second season, will give them an edge over the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea, who are all bringing in new managers.

He said: "It will take the three new managers - Jose Mourinho's gone back, so he counts as new - a bit of time to settle down.

"They've mostly inherited their squads, the previous managers did things slightly differently and that may just be unsettling enough. We all know that in sport things unwind pretty quickly.

"Tottenham are in a very good place. We're optimistic this is going to be a good season and I fancy our chances to get one of the four Champions League slots."