MANCHESTER UNITED are refusing to give up on signing Gareth Bale – with Real Madrid still seeing the Red Devils as a potential landing spot, say reports in Spain.
The LaLiga champions are itching to get the Welsh flop – and his £650,000-a-week wages – off their books after being frozen out by Zinedine Zidane.
And while Tottenham are believed to be close to completing a deal to bring Bale back to North London, Real still see United as a potential buyer, according to AS.
Man Utd are keen to add some width to their squad after missing out on Jadon Sancho – with Borussia Dortmund holding firm on their £108million valuation.
But they could also fail in their pursuit of Bale, with Spurs said to be in advanced talks with Los Blancos.
Tottenham are eyeing up both a season-long loan move – with Madrid paying over half of his sky-high wages – or a permanent £18.5m transfer.
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And they look set to beat United to Bale’s signature after the player’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, confirmed Spurs are his preferred destination.
Barnett told BBC Sport Wales: “Gareth still loves Spurs. It’s where he wants to be.”
And Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, who negotiated Bale’s sale to the Bernabeu in 2013 for a then-world record fee of £86million, is keen to make the deal happen.
Despite Tottenham being all-but certain to sign Bale, United have been given hope after AS claimed Real Madrid were still open to negotiating with them – suggesting Spurs had NOT concluded a deal.
The Spanish giants have made it clear they don’t care which club takes Bale off their hands for the campaign.
The golf-mad Wales star is prepared to leave Madrid on loan this summer but is keen to remain on his mega £650,000-a-week wages.
As a result, both United – who could get Bale into their team any one of five ways – and Spurs hope Real Madrid will still continue paying part of his salary in a bid to ease their crippling wage bills.
