Wales legend Gareth Bale is deemed as one of the best wingers in the modern era of soccer due to his great spells at Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. And, he has revealed he was in touch with Manchester United before joining Los Blancos in the summer of 2013.
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After starting his career at Southampton, Bale earned fame as an explosive winger at Spurs in the 2012-13 season. He registered 26 goals and 10 assists in 44 total matches for Spurs, winning the Premier League Player of the Season award in the 2012-13 term.
During a recent interview on “The Overlap,” Bale stated that Manchester United were keen to sign him for a fee higher than the one Real Madrid paid before the 2013-14 season. But, he asserted that he was always heavily inclined to permanently join the La Liga side.
“I did talk to United (in 2013). They actually bid more than Real Madrid. I spoke with (then Red Devils boss) David Moyes. But my heart was set on Madrid anyway. I had something in place with (ex-Spurs executive chairman) Daniel Levy… more of a gentleman’s agreement. And obviously, he didn’t want to sell me to a rival and strengthen another team. Levy made it hard, but he stayed true to his words in the end,” the 35-year-old remarked.
Bale, who joined Los Blancos in a $114 million move, added, “I didn’t get to the wages part with United, but they offered more money (to Tottenham) to buy me. Once I spoke to Real Madrid, they reserved the number 11 jersey and spoke to various people.”
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The three-time Tottenham Hotspur Young Player of the Year also revealed that he decided to move to Los Blancos in 2013, partly because of former Spurs midfielder Luka Modric. “I knew Modric, who went there the year before, which obviously helped me, knowing that I’ve at least got somebody who I can be with. He was great with me.”
During his nine-year stint at Los Merengues, Bale notched three La Liga titles and five UEFA Champions League trophies. The Welshman scored 106 goals and laid out 68 assists in 258 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish giants, winning eight other trophies.
After struggling with recurring injuries towards the end of his stint in Madrid, he left the La Liga club as a free agent in July 2022. He subsequently joined Major League Soccer (MLS) side Los Angeles FC (LAFC) and helped them win two major silverwares in 2022.
