Gareth Bale has been told that he can be fit for the beginning of Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League campaign, according to reports.

Bale was injured by Liverpool's Charlie Adam during a pre-season friendly in Baltimore on Saturday but a scan has revealed no serious problems with his ankle.

The Mirror have reported that the Welsh winger has started light running in an attempt to be ready for Spurs' league opener against Newcastle United on August 18.

Andre Villas-Boas is now believed to be considering allowing Bale to take the next couple of weeks slowly in training to ensure that he has one of his key players available for the trip to Newcastle.

Bale has labelled Scottish midfielder Adam a "coward" for the tackle.