MANCHESTER UNITED have been given fresh hope of landing Real Madrid star Gareth Bale.
United have coveted Bale since 2013 and failed with a bid of £100million when he decided to join Real from Tottenham instead.
But executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has remained a long-time admirer of the Welshman – and United could now make a new move to lure him to Old Trafford after Real boss Zinedine Zidane admitted he could not guarantee Bale will stay at the Bernabeu this summer.
Real’s pursuit of Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe has intensified speculation that one of their front three – Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo – could leave this summer.
Bale is seen as the likeliest of the trio to be sold, having lost his automatic place in Real’s starting line-up last season to Isco after injuries blighted his campaign.
Zidane refused to rule out one of his famed three attackers leaving this summer and said: “I hope they all stay for this season. I hope everyone remains. I want everyone who is here now to stay, but anything can happen right up until August 31.”
United manager Jose Mourinho is desperate to add more superstar quality to his squad and wants to sign a winger.
He admitted after his side’s 1-0 defeat by Barcelona in Washington that United lacked global stars like Bale, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
He is resigned to the fact that he has just Paul Pogba when it comes to having a genuine superstar to call upon – but would relish the chance to have Bale in his ranks.
He said: “I think in this moment the best players are in these two clubs and you have to accept that as a reality.
“There is only one Messi and one Neymar, and Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Ronaldo, Bale, Luka Modric or Toni Kroos.
“There is only one of them, so they can only be playing for a club and not two clubs.
“We can’t have them, they belong to their clubs.
“You can be working very hard tactically to improve your players but there are players that are special players and there is nothing you can do.
“But one of my players, Paul Pogba, showed that level and he belongs to that level.”
Source:www.express.co.uk