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Big money could take Bale back to England

Make no mistake — there is genuinely strong interest from Manchester United to sign Gareth Bale. And it is an interest that has not wavered since they failed in a £100 million (S$206 million) bid to gazump Real Madrid’s £85 million acquisition of him in August last year.

Manchester United have their eyes on Gareth Bale and will let it be known that if the 25-year-old wants to leave Real, they will 
be ready. 
Photo: Getty Images

Manchester United have their eyes on Gareth Bale and will let it be known that if the 25-year-old wants to leave Real, they will
be ready.
Photo: Getty Images

Make no mistake — there is genuinely strong interest from Manchester United to sign Gareth Bale. And it is an interest that has not wavered since they failed in a £100 million (S$206 million) bid to gazump Real Madrid’s £85 million acquisition of him in August last year.

At that time, United made it clear they would do whatever it would take to bring Bale to Old Trafford, with then manager David Moyes travelling to London for talks with Tottenham Hotspur’s technical director Franco Baldini on Aug 18. The pair spoke after Spurs’ 1-0 win at Crystal Palace and Moyes was told it was too late.

By then, a deal was pretty much in place with Real and Bale had his heart set on the move. Spurs, contrary to the perceived wisdom that chairman Daniel Levy would not sell to another Premier League club, were prepared to go to the highest bidder — which was United. The Red Devils said they would even take Emmanuel Adebayor off Spurs’ hands if that would sweeten the move.

Spurs put the bid to Bale and the Welsh international politely refused in a phone call to Moyes, as he signed a six-year contract to officially become the world’s most expensive player — although not as expensive as he would have been had he joined United.

It was a blow to Moyes and United’s new executive vice‑chairman, Ed Woodward, who had inherited their roles believing that the club could sign Cristiano Ronaldo and might get Cesc Fabregas or Bale — and ended up with Marouane Fellaini.

United got their fingers burnt on Ronaldo, who used their interest to negotiate a lucrative new contract at Real. The same might happen with Bale and it would not be beyond the realm of possibility that talks take place over an improved deal next summer.

United will continue to watch and let it be known that if the 25-year-old wants to go — or should Real want to cash in — they will be ready. They will make sure he does not go to another English club.

But they are also determined to play it cool, perhaps cooler than Real and the Spanish media, with the AS newspaper having asked 30,000 Madrid fans if they would accept the rumoured €150 million (S$242 million) bid for Bale — 54 per cent said yes. Bale is popular and has done well, but he is not Ronaldo and that is a lot of money.

But why, unless he is not wanted, would he consider leaving the best team in the world, who are on a winning run of 22 straight victories (only two short of the world record, by the way) — with his representatives briefing that it is not even an option?

Bale is unassuming and low-maintenance, and has worked hard to integrate himself into the dressing room, into the team and into life in Madrid — even if he still speaks little Spanish. But he also has a daughter, Alba Violet, who turned two in October.

Bale’s partner, Emma Rhys-Jones, moved to Madrid with him, but one theory, not without credence, is that the family may be keen to return to Britain when the child reaches school age in less than two years. So it could be next summer or the following summer, if that theory holds.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Jason Burt is deputy football correspondent at The Daily Telegraph.

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