Source: Gareth Bale via Facebook
According to reports, Manchester United’s interest in Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann has cooled in recent weeks. Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s long-term injury has forced Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho to rethink his transfer strategy ahead of the summer window and it looks like United will focus on signing another potential target before the end of August.
Cue rumours of a move for Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale. While old romantics will stir up talk of a Cristiano Ronaldo return, a move for Wales star Bale is plausible. He is enjoying his time in Madrid but various injuries have hampered his form since moving to Spain and Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane knows that he has plenty of talent at his disposal; Bale’s exit wouldn’t necessarily spell disaster for the Spanish giants.
Although not completely vital, Bale would bring some valuable Premier League experience to the Old Trafford dressing room. During his Tottenham Hotspur days, Bale matured into a world class winger and it came as no surprise to see Real Madrid produce a mammoth £80 million bid for the Welshman. Since moving to Spain, he has developed even further and he is now one of the most talented footballers on the planet.
United need to sign somebody of Bale’s stature to reassert their dominance at the top of English football. Last summer, the Red Devils signed Paul Pogba and this year, Bale could be their marquee arrival. At the time of writing, Mourinho’s men are 7/2 to win the title in bet365’s football betting markets and a world class winger like Bale would certainly help United to flourish in attack after a disappointing domestic campaign.
When you break it down and look at the statistics, United were pretty poor up front this campaign. Even Bournemouth, promoted to England’s top flight just two years ago, scored more goals than the Red Devils. Yes, United had the best defensive record in the Premier League and lost just five matches all season, but the salient fact is crystal clear: Mourinho needs more world-class talent in attacking areas.
It would be foolish to rule out a move for Griezmann just yet but perhaps United are looking at the wrong La Liga star. Should Ed Woodward look across the beautiful city of Madrid, he may see that Gareth Bale is there for the taking. Zidane and Real will want to keep Bale on their books but the Red Devils may be able to lure the Welshman away from the Bernabeu and back to the Premier League; a move to Old Trafford could be the perfect fit.
Source: Gareth Bale via Facebook
Bale is a magnificent talent and Mourinho knows it. Griezmann was United’s number one target this summer but the injury to Zlatan has changed the Portuguese’s outlook ahead of the new campaign. In Wales superstar Gareth Bale, United can get a versatile, world class option up front and he could work brilliantly alongside the likes of fan favourite Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. This is a new beginning for Mourinho’s United and Bale can spearhead the title challenge.
