Should Manchester United make a move for Gareth Bale?

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is eager to get rid of Gareth Bale, but should Manchester United be just as eager to sign him?

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has been linked with a number of clubs in the past, including Manchester United, but the rumours have never materialised.

However, this summer may be different as, in a remarkably candid press conference, Zinedine Zidane has explicitly stated his desire to sell the Welsh winger this summer.

After his side’s pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich in Houston, which ended in a 3-1 loss, the ex-player said that he hopes Bale “leaves soon” as “it would be best for everyone.”

One of the reasons why Bale has never left in the past is because Real would demand a hefty transfer fee and the player hefty wages, which few clubs would be willing to pay.

However, considering that Zidane is so desperate to get rid of the 30-year-old, the club will likely accept a more modest fee in return for a player they have no plans for.

Does this mean that United should jump at the opportunity to sign Bale this time around? After all, they do need a right-winger and Bale has played in the Premier League before.

I’d argue no. Yes, the Red Devils would most likely only have to pay a fee in the region of £60million, but what happened last time when they tried to sign a big-name player on a bargain?

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Alexis Sanchez was similarly on his way out of Arsenal when United swooped in and signed him by simply swapping out one of their own players, Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

However, the Chilean has failed to live up to his reputation since arriving at Old Trafford – something which could also happen to Bale if he ends up joining.

Besides, United have already signed a Welsh winger this summer – Daniel James, who is nine years younger than Bale and has the potential to be world-class one day.

Instead of trying to attract the big names, United should focus on developing young talent as well as acquiring them from elsewhere, as these players will be the source of their success in the years to come – not players like Bale.