Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has effectively confirmed Gareth Bale’s departure to Real Madrid, and said the player’s behaviour in refusing to turn up for training has not been "correct".

 Villas-Boas could not confirm when exactly the deal would be finalised, but said it is not dependent on incoming transfers. The Portuguese did state, however, that Bale had said his goodbyes.

"At the moment the two clubs are speaking -- Tottenham and Real Madrid -- to outline the final decisions or statements of contracts and I am not sure how much time it will take," Villas-Boas said.

"It could happen very, very soon. It might not happen so soon so I suppose it could go to the last days or it could happen in the next two days.

"It’s not up to me to finalise the deals. I don’t drag out anything. This is between clubs for one reason or the other. This deal has not happened because it has taken this time.

"You wouldn’t expect the biggest transfer in world football to happen easily. Whenever they get to an agreement, end of story."

When asked whether Bale’s departure was dependent on Tottenham fully replacing him, Villas-Boas said: "I don’t think so. We’ve been very, very active in the market so I don’t think so."

The Spurs boss, however, did intimate criticism at the behaviour of a player he otherwise retains a healthy relationship with.

"I gave the player the weekend off, Monday was a day off for the squad. He is involved in a big transfer move to Real Madrid in the end if it happens, we wish him all the best.

"What he left here is great memories and the fact that he hasn’t turned up, I don't think it's the correct behaviour, but in the end it's a position of pressure and a statement from the player or whatever that means. It's a position they chose to take. It's up to the club now to decide if it's a fineable offence.