Bharath Rammr
Manchester United are growing increasingly confident about being able to sign Gareth Bale in the upcoming summer transfer window as per the reports from The Independent. The winger is reportedly close to leaving Real Madrid than at any time in the last four years.
Back in the summer of 2013, he moved to the Santiago Bernabeu in a then-world record transfer fee of £85 million from Tottenham. From the word go, Bale was unable to come close to the goal-scoring exploits of Cristiano Ronaldo, against whom he is frequently compared because of the transfer fees.
Even though the first three years have been extremely rewarding in terms of trophies and honours, Bale has found it difficult to meet the expectations at a highly political club like Madrid. This season would rank as one of the toughest for the Welsh international, as he has spent majority of the campaign on the sidelines. He has made only 19 appearances in the La Liga and scored seven league goals. These are in sharp contrast to the record held by Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 20 league goals.
Bale has alerted his agent that he may consider a return back to English football. Manchester United were in the race to sign the winger back in 2013, but he ultimately chose to move to Spain due to 2 reasons – the glamour of Spanish football and David Moyes’ presence at Manchester United. Now with Jose Mourinho at the helm, the Red Devils have a manager who can attract the best players in the world like Bale. The 27-year-old has obviously been struggling with a lot of injuries, but he expects the situation to improve with a change in training regime.
United are very much expected to bring in a couple of mega signings in the summer transfer window. They have been linked with moves for Antoine Griezmann, Andrea Belotti, or Michael Keane. These three players would cost a combined £190 million, but it appears that United may bring in only one or two big money forwards. The club have been linked heavily with Antoine Griezmann, but the interest seems to be wavering of late. Andrea Belotti has been in stunning form this season, but Torino are unwilling to sell him.
Bale might be the finest option available at this moment. Signing him will not be easy, as the Welshman only recently signed a new long-term contract that runs until the summer of 2022. Madrid will look to recoup much of the money they paid, if they do decide to sell the 27-year old considering that he is at the peak of his career.
