Rohan Sengupta
Manchester United will not sign Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale because he is not a Jose Mourinho-type player, feels pundit and legendary Liverpool defender Steve Nicol. Bale has struggled with injuries at Real Madrid in the last year or so, making just 7 La Liga appearances this season.
The Welshman scored a brace in the last game against Celta Vigo, but Madrid failed to keep the lead and were punished by the hosts with the match ending 2-2 at Balaidos. Bale has plenty of competition for his position in the Real team when fit, with the likes of Isco and Marco Asensio pressing their cases in his absence.
We have been linked with a move for Bale in recent transfer windows and this one is no different. ESPN pundit Steve Nicol isn’t with it though, as he believes there are two major reasons standing in the way.
“No, I don’t see him as a Mourinho player,” Nicol is quoted as saying by The Express.
“Bale is a player that you’ve got to give a lot of licence to go and find the ball, to go and get it and then do what you do, which is score spectacular goals and use pace and all those things. I just don’t see him fitting in at United.”
While Bale’s move to United could be debated, Nicol did also make a brilliant point when it came to shelling so much money on the Wales international, saying that his injury problems over the last two seasons present a risky proposition.
“I think it would be a lot of money for a guy who in the last 12 months has probably been sat on his backside more than he’s played on the field with injuries,” he added.
“So I just don’t see this happening, no. This is a miss for me.”
Bale, who joined Real Madrid in 2013, has won a La Liga title and three Champions Leagues in his time at the Bernabeu. However, after making 48 appearances in the 2014/15 campaign, he played 31 times the following year before making just 27 appearances last season.
While he’s back fit now, he’s been limited to just 15 outings to this point, and so that has to be a concern for Jose Mourinho if he considers bringing the Welshman to Old Trafford in summer.
