Manchester United Transfer News: Gareth Bale Facing Madrid Dressing-Room Unrest

A divide in the Real Madrid dressing room could help Manchester United press ahead with a late summer move to bring Gareth Bale back to the Premier League, it's emerged.

Alejandro Alcazar of Spanish newspaper Sport alleges numerous Real players "aren't impressed" with the Wales international, with captain Sergio Ramos even communicating such feelings to manager Rafa Benitez:

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The dressing room aren't impressed with Bale as the No 10 because the squad has other players who would be able to perform this role better. Some Media suggest that Sergio Ramos, the new captain in place of Iker Casillas, has told this to the coach. Bale does seem to have changed his introverted attitude. Now he is more communicative with his team-mates, so they can count on him more on the pitch, while he improves his image. 

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Many think, including the dressing room, if Madrid had not paid €101million for him, he would be a substitute. Isco and James improve the performance of the team and Jese deserves opportunities. But only James starts - he cost €80m - while Isco €25m and Jese are in competition with the Welshman.

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The claims come in the same week ESPN FC's Miguel Delaney reported United are preparing to revive their interest in Bale and will seek to use goalkeeper David De Gea as bait.

Delaney goes on to note Los Merengues have already informed the Red Devils Bale will not be moving, but depending on how badly they want to sign De Gea, desperation could change that guarded stance.

Bale left White Hart Lane in 2013 and enjoyed a fruitful debut term in Spain, scoring 22 goals in 44 appearances for Los Blancos across all competitions, but a record of 17 goals in 48 outings last term was less impressive.

Wales manager Chris Coleman can't see his national team captain moving in 2015, though, insisting there are too many factors involved in such an expensive deal, per BBC Sport's Dafydd Pritchard:

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I don't see it [the transfer] happening.

You never know but I've not heard anything. 

The finances involved for signing a player like that are astronomical. 

I see the media speculation, of course, but that's a major, major deal - another world record if he was going to move. 

I can't see anything happening. I've not heard anything.

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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has already added Memphis Depay to his ranks this summer, but after Barcelona's Pedro moved to Chelsea, there may yet be room to add another winger.

Old Trafford legend and fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs has given his thoughts on Bale, via Wales Online, insisting the former Tottenham Hotspur star could "walk into any team in the world":

Much of Bale's recent Bernabeu disappointment could rely heavily on where he's positioned, according to Alcazar, who says Benitez risks a furore among the squad if he disrupts the lineup.

As things stand, Cristiano Ronaldo is the preferred choice on the left wing, which also happens to be Bale's favoured role, leading to the latter to be tried out as a No. 10 and No. 9 over the past year.

Alcazar claims Benitez will be on "dangerous ground" if Ronaldo is played out of position in order to accommodate Bale, who has so far managed to beat the likes of Isco and Jese Rodriguez in the pecking order.

Bale was one of the players who failed to hit top form in the 0-0 stalemate opener against Sporting Gijon last Saturday, but ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan didn't expect a backlash so swiftly, with him and Benitez at its heart:

De Gea could come to play a big part in any potential deal for Bale, and his place in the United team is far from certain following Van Gaal's decision to keep the stopper sidelined in place of Sergio Romero.

United sealed their return to the Champions League with a 7-1 aggregate win over Club Brugge in the play-offs, after which ex-midfielder Paul Scholes lamented De Gea's loss of focus on BT Sport, per the Daily Mail's Jack Bezants:

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How can you lose focus? That's the thing for me. He is getting paid by this club, it is a brilliant club.  

They paid a lot of money on a young keeper to give him this chance. If the manager is right and says he has lost focus then yeah, I think he is out of order.

He should be in that team playing. If it wasn't for him last year, they probably wouldn't be in this position tonight so they have to thank him for that.

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Some form of player exchange could be the Red Devils' only hope of landing Bale in return, giving Real an asset they've long coveted in the face of Iker Casillas' Madrid exit earlier this summer.

The Premier League giants will hope any discontent among Los Blancos will only benefit their pursuit of the forward, but only a matter of days remain until the transfer window slams shut and their chance goes astray.