Dimitar Berbatov says fellow former Tottenham star Gareth Bale has become the "whipping boy" at Real Madrid and may well be better off leaving the Bernabéu.

"If you don't feel appreciated, you have to move on"

"Bale seems to get the blame for everything that goes wrong at Real Madrid, which is unfair," Berbatov said in a column for betting firm Betfair this week. "If you look at his stats - 12 goals in 30 appearances this season - he is still performing, but he is the whipping boy for some reason.

"And, as a player, if you don't feel appreciated, then you have to move on."

Spurs unlikely to be able to afford Bale, says Berbatov

Discussing the possibility of the 'Cardiff Express' returning to Spurs, who sold him to Madrid in a 101-million-euro deal in 2013, Berbatov was doubtful that the Premier League club have the financial muscle to make such a switch happen.

"It's a question of money first of course - I'm not sure Spurs can afford over £100m on a player," the Bulgarian said. "But Bale is a world-class talent who could play for anyone and it would be great to see him back."