Gareth Bale nearly became a Wolverhampton Wanderers player in 2009 according to Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle.

The two players will be facing off against each other in Dublin on Friday night in a Group D World Cup qualifier but they could have been lining up together at Molineux, revealed Doyle, had it not been for a twist of fate keeping the Welshman at Tottenham.

“I remember he was nearly coming to us on loan in one of the transfer windows,” said Doyle, who joined Wolves himself in the summer of 2009 from Reading.

“That shows how far he has come in the last six or seven years. But I think that someone got injured at Spurs and the deal fell through.”

Bale had struggled to make an impact during his first couple of years at Spurs after moving from Southampton but went on to make 23 appearances that season in a more advanced position.

The Republic of Ireland are currently top of Group D with 10 points, four more than Wales who are back in third place, having been guilty of cheaply surrendering points from winning positions on more than one occasion.

Bale will be looking to end Ireland’s unbeaten start to qualification, whilst maintaining Wales’, and Doyle is just glad he finds himself at the opposite end of the pitch to the Real Madrid forward.

“He's an unbelievable player — I would hate to have to mark him!” Doyle added.

“It's just that natural speed. But you watch all of Wales' highlights and he is in the box heading them as well, stuff that you would not think about.