In 2013 Gareth Bale reportedly became the world's most expensive signing when he joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for what was initially an undisclosed fee. After documents were later leaked it was found that the sum was over 100 million euros far in excess of the previous record of 80 million paid for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bale's first years at Real
Initially, the move was a massive success and Bale slotted seamlessly into the Real Madrid side alongside superstars like Ronaldo and Benzema and produced match-winning performances week after week.
After his first season Real won the Copa del Rey and EUFA Champions League. His star continued to rise in 2015-16 as Los Blancos won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Current injuries
After an outstanding Euro 2016 where he led Wales to a semi-final, Bale returned to Real on a high but sadly sustained an ankle injury in November 2016 which has seen him struggle to return to form. He rejoined the attack for Los Blancos in February and has attempted to play through the pain of the injury, something which has angered his team-mates.
Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda reported in 'El Chiringuito' that Bale will " face a battle to stay at the Bernabeu". There are claims that Real's chief Florentino Perez doubts whether Bale is still good enough to be the club's main man and if he continues to struggle he could be sold before his contract ends in 2022.
Manager Zinedine Zidane feels that Bale has not been missed and players such as Isco, Lucas Vasquez and Marco Arsenio have all seized the opportunity to impress in his absence.
Bale to Man United?
It is no secret that Man United have previously tried to capture the Welshman's signature on a number of occasions. Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign Gareth Bale from Southampton and, during his short tenure at Old Trafford, David Moyes offered Spurs £120 million but Bale decided at the time to prioritise a move to Spain.
However, now with Jose Mourinho at the helm and Bale suffering at the Bernabeu, the time may be right for a move. Mourinho is one year into his three-year contract at Manchester United and is looking to rebuild a team that has been struggling for a few seasons outside of the top four. Mourinho's initial target this season is Antoine Greizmann of Atletico Madrid and next season Gareth Bale would be the ideal addition to drive the next phase of United's road to challenge in the Champions League once again.
