Manchester United Transfer News: Red Devils Told to Forget Gareth Bale Deal

Having seen Gareth Bale bag the winner in the Champions League final, score a host of stunning goals and dazzle La Liga defences with his scintillating array of attributes, it seems somewhat unlikely that Real Madrid would consider selling the Welsh wing wonder to Manchester United.

Nonetheless, reports have claimed Los Blancos are thinking of cashing in on Bale for a sum of £90 million to fund a move for Eden Hazard and Raheem Sterling, per Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star.

That's not true, according to Sky Sports Spanish football expert Graham Hunter, who said on Revista de La Liga there’s little chance of any deal happening, per Sky Sports (h/t Nick Lustig of the Daily Star):

"

They (Man Utd) have the budget, they tried to sign him, he turned them down when joining Real Madrid. It will not happen unless he goes to Real Madrid and says: 'Me and my family are not happy here.'

But that is not the case at the moment, so I think for (now) United can forget it. In the future, maybe, but stories are just stories at the moment.

"

Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Indeed, selling Bale would make little sense. The No. 11 has formed a devastating attacking triumvirate alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema since he rocked up at the Santiago Bernabeu, and that offensive line has been tantamount to the club’s staggering recent run of form, as we can see here courtesy of RMadridHome:

"

BBC Bale: 9 Goals, 5 Assists Benzema: 13 Goals, 9 Assist Cristiano: 32 Goals, 10 Assists TOTAL: 54 Goals, 24 Assists pic.twitter.com/AH9cgyDB95

— RMadridHome (@RMadridHome) December 16, 2014"

Already he has netted nine goals in all competitions this season, per WhoScored.com, and while he may not be bagging goals at a stratospherically prolific rate like his Portuguese teammate, Bale brings a critical balance to Carlo Ancelotti’s team. 

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Indeed, Hunter thinks there is still a lot more to come from the 25-year-old winger, per Lustig’s aforementioned piece:

"

There is more to come from him. He is not playing as a complete team footballer at the moment - with all his duties - as he was last season, but he keeps winning them games.

And if he does what he did last season and wins them more trophies, then why should he leave?

"

With that in mind, the Madridistas would surely be unhappy should a sale be sanctioned. Already the former Tottenham Hotspur man is a unanimously popular figure with the club’s supporters, and Football Funnys reminded us of exactly why recently:

"

The moment Gareth Bale became a Real Madrid hero. pic.twitter.com/BgtKSaWvAI

— Football Funnys (@FootballFunnys) December 15, 2014"

If United were to have £90 million lying around to spend on players, the sharp end of this team is not the area in which in would be most sensibly utilised. Of course Bale would bring plenty to this Red Devils squad. It’s something that writer Paul Seaton noted on Twitter:

Louis van Gaal has steered his team to six consecutive wins in the Premier League and that is an undeniably admirable achievement. But there’s an unyielding sense that there’s something not quite in-line when it comes to this team. With the likes of Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young having to fill in at the back in recent weeks, defensive reinforcements must take priority in any transfer strategy.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Bale would be an exciting capture no doubt, but with the United front line showing signs of clicking into gear under Van Gaal, it’d be a major, major indulgence on the part of the club’s hierarchy, especially if it was to come at the expense of a few defenders or indeed, a holding midfield player.

Anyway, the Welshman is currently a critical part of one of the finest teams of this generation. At this juncture why on earth would he want to play in anything other than Real’s iconic white strip? And why would Real even consider cashing in on an individual who is blossoming into one of the best players on the planet?