André Villas-Boas says he has the assurance of the Tottenham Hotspur board that Gareth Bale will not be sold if the club can qualify for next season's Champions League.

Bale is one of the game's hottest properties and Villas-Boas accepts that the 23-year-old needs to play in Europe's elite competition. Were Tottenham to finish outside the top four, the manager has admitted it would be difficult to satisfy Bale's ambition at White Hart Lane.

But Villas-Boas took the positive line before Tottenham's fixture at Wigan Athletic on Saturday when he was asked about Bale's future and, specifically, whether he had been given any assurances regarding him staying if Champions League football could be secured. "I think so," Villas-Boas said. "That's the information that I have from the club. It has come from the club."

"The club is committed to keeping the best assets," he added. "That's the only way that we can ensure that we are in the top four every year. Gareth is part of that project bearing in mind that he has been amazing this season. Hopefully, we can develop him to a greater extent. We get the buzz from working with great players and Gareth has developed into a great player, so I couldn't be happier."

Tottenham's bullishness about their prospects of keeping Bale from the clutches of Europe's top clubs this summer, chief among them Real Madrid, takes in the player's happiness at White Hart Lane; the fact that he has youth on his side; the likely presence of interested bidders for years to come; and also their abiliity to price predators out of the market.

The chairman, Daniel Levy, has maintained that it would take Cristiano Ronaldo money even to tempt him to part with his prized asset – a figure of close to the £80m that Real paid to Manchester United for the Portugal forward in 2009. – Levy is not a man to back down from the prices that he quotes and it is unclear whether any club could stretch so high.

Bale is odds-on to be named as the PFA's Player of the Year on Sunday night, after a stunning season in which he has scored 23 times for Tottenham, plus five more for Wales, and developed his game to include being a threat from a central attacking role. He is under contract until 2016 but the club are expected to offer him fresh terms in the summer to reflect his soaring status. He already earns in excess of £100,000 a week.

Plenty could yet hinge on Tottenham's final five matches, in which they will attempt to finish above Chelsea, Arsenal or both to reach the Champions League for only the second time, and Bale's focus does not extend beyond the target.

"Gareth has had a major development this year," Villas-Boas said. "He has played in so many positions and has had such a big impact in those positions. We are happy that he has been nominated [for the PFA award] and we would be even happier if he was to win.

"Although the recognition is individual, the team have helped him to have this wonderful year and they would feel good for Gareth. They are an excellent group and everything they have spoken about Gareth is with respect."