The Gareth Bale transfer saga came to a temporary end last night - but not without a dig at his agent.

As exclusively revealed in yesterday's Daily Echo, Bale turned down the chance to join Tottenham in a £10m deal that would have been rubber-stamped had he decided to move.

Instead, he preferred to stay with Saints until the end of the season and assess the situation in the summer.

Saints issued a statement last night making it clear that they did NOT solicit approaches from any club to sell Bale.

The club were also insistent that he would have been loaned back for the whole of his remaining 18-month contract with the club.

The Echo can today reveal that both Manchester United and Tottenham AGREED with this demand.

But in the statement, Saints did have a pointed dig at Bale's agent, David Manesseh from the Stellar Group, for refusing to discuss a new contract.

It read: "Saints are still hoping Bale and his representatives will discuss the possibility of a new contract.

"They would be delighted if he extended his current deal beyond June 2008 but so far Bale's agent has been reluctant to engage in contract negotiations with the club".

If Bale refuses to sign a new contract this summer, Saints will be forced to sell him faced with the prospect of losing him for nothing a year later.

Full story, plus five pages of Saints v Sheffield Wednesday reports, reaction and pictures, in today's Daily Echo.