Gareth Bale, Asier Illarramendi Still Linked with Real Madrid Transfer Exits

It seems that no matter how much Real Madrid say otherwise, teams just aren't getting the message about Gareth Bale and Asier Illarramendi. The pair are still being linked with La Liga exits in the near future.

Premier League clubs Manchester United and Arsenal are respectively waiting in the wings. The latest on Bale is that the Red Devils have set aside €150 million to sign the player who cost Los Blancos a world-record fee in 2013.

That's according to AS reporter Manu Sainz (h/t Daily Star writer Alex Harris). Sainz suggests senior figures at Old Trafford want Bale after high-profile signings Juan Mata, Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao have all failed to deliver.

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The Red Devils clearly want to try to coax Bale to rediscover the form he showed for Tottenham Hotspur when he tore through England's top flight during the 2012/13 season.

Yet, while United's current attack is certainly stunted and pedestrian, Bale still appears out of the club's reach. Madrid assistant manager Paul Clement has declared the Welsh wing wizard as the "future" of the club, per London Evening Standard reporters Amar Singh and Ashish Sharma.

Clement's words follow those of the player himself. Bale recently refuted the chance of a move back to the Premier League during an interview with Spanish station Cadena SER (h/t BBC Sport).

Bale made the comments after some rough treatment from Madrid fans. Treatment B/R's Spanish football expert Guillem Balague doesn't believe will drive Bale out of the club:

United's interest has been ongoing for over a year. Current Real Sociedad boss and ex-United gaffer David Moyes has described his regret at not signing Bale when he took over at Old Trafford, per Daily Express reporter James Dickenson: "When I got the job, I thought Gareth Bale would have been a super Manchester United player."

It seems as though, try as they might, United will have to keep on waiting for Bale. But even setting aside a small fortune may not be enough to eventually pry him away from the Spanish capital.

Speaking of playing a waiting game, it seems Illarramendi is prepared to do exactly that in order to get the move he wants. The 24-year-old deep-lying midfield playmaker is determined to earn a £24 million switch to the Gunners in the summer.

That's why he spurned a move to Basque side Athletic Bilbao, according to Daily Express reporter Ben Jefferson. For his part, Los Merengues manager Carlo Ancelotti appears content to keep Illarramendi in the fold at least a little while longer, per the same report:

"

He will play on Saturday. He received an offer from Athletic, but the player is comfortable and happy here.

We're happy with him, too, because whenever he's played he's done well.

"

Madrid still have a need for defensive-minded midfield players even after signing Brazilian Lucas Silva. Yet the club has barely called on Illarramendi this term.

The ex-Sociedad star has made just six starts in all competitions, per WhoScored.com. Bilbao president Josu Urrutia is still trying to convince Illarramendi to ignore Madrid's needs, per Marca reporter Jaime Martin.

For his part, Illarramendi might want Arsenal, but the Gunners appear to have their sights set elsewhere. Morgan Schneiderlin remains the north London club's prime target, according to Metro writer Jamie Sanderson.

For now at least, neither Bale nor Illarramendi is going anywhere. Ancelotti needs every talented player he has to help this season's assault on both the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League trophy the club won last season.

Illarramendi can be a useful fill-in. But Bale is a significant figure in the Los Blancos' attack.