Manchester United will move for Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale this summer should the La Liga giants make him available for transfer.
That's according to Rob Dawson of ESPN FC, who has noted that United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has long targeted the Welshman.
"Bale was not on Jose Mourinho's original list of targets despite his desire to sign a winger, with the United manager believing Madrid wanted to keep the Wales international," continued Dawson. "However, reports in Spain suggest Bale could now be allowed to leave if Madrid secure a world-record move for Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe."
As noted by Dawson, Mourinho was recently asked about a potential move for Bale and the coach said he would not chase the winger because he didn't want to "lose time and energy" on a transfer.
"However, that stance would change if Bale is told he faces a reduced role at the Bernabeu next season," the piece continued.
Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News also said United are interested in the player, although he spoke of how complicated a transfer might be:
If United were to land Bale it's another deal that would make the football world sit up and take notice. After all, since moving to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2013, the former Tottenham Hotspur man has blossomed into one of the most dangerous attackers in the game.
As we can see courtesy of Squawka Football, he's been a big hit at the Santiago Bernabeu in his four seasons:
Happy 28th birthday to Gareth Bale!
He's scored 54 goals in LaLiga, more than any other British player in the competition's history.pic.twitter.com/hLap1poTYO
Gareth Bale's record for Real Madrid:
150 games
67 goals
42 assists
8 trophies
Just the 3 Champions League winners medals.pic.twitter.com/dNXxMcBUDg
Mbappe's arrival may complicate matters for the Wales star, while last season Isco forced his way into the starting XI when Bale was injured. Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane may have those two players in mind should a massive bid for the forward come in.
Still, when the 28-year-old is fit and in form, he's a force to be reckoned with and one of Madrid's most important players. It'd be a surprise if they choose to sell in this window.
Manchester United Wait on Ivan Perisic
According to Tuttomercato (h/t the Daily Mirror), Manchester United will need to wait for Inter Milan to line up their own summer targets before they agree to sell Ivan Perisic.
It's suggested Inter are eyeing the likes of Patrik Schick, Radja Nainggolan and Keita Balde Diao, and that once they have finished the process, a "big sale" will be made, with Perisic said to be valued at around £49 million.
Meanwhile, Inter boss Luciano Spalletti has admitted the club will have to sell the player should the right offer arrive.
"Sure, there were rumours, but the status quo is that we want to keep Perisic," he said, per BBC Sport. "Having said that, if someone comes in with a very difficult offer to reject, then we'll consider that."
United's reported pursuit of Perisic has been long running and Alex Shaw of ESPN would like to see a swift solution:
The 28-year-old may not be the most flamboyant winger around, but it's easy to see why Mourinho would want him in his squad.
Perisic is aggressive in his dribbling, hard to knock off the ball and a fantastic worker. He has the qualities needed to thrive in the Premier League and while the sums aforementioned are extortionate, for Mourinho's United he would make a significant impact.
No comments:
Post a Comment