Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Gareth Bale and Joao Miranda Rumours

The rumour mill continues to work in overdrive linking Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale with a return to the Premier League, and Manchester United remain the favourites to land the Wales international during the summer transfer market.  

According to Fichajes.net (h/t Metro's Will Giles), incoming manager Rafael Benitez has been told to move Bale before the start of the season, while Spanish football insider Guillem Balague told 888Sport (h/t Express Sport) his adventure in the Spanish capital has truly turned into a nightmare:

The 25-year-old Welshman became the most expensive player in history when he moved to Spain from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, and after a promising first season with Los Blancos, he failed to live up to the lofty expectations in 2014-15.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti lost his job as Los Blancos finished the season without major silverware, and as shared by football writer Pete O'Rourke, Benitez is widely expected to be announced as the new manager of the club very soon:

Fans have been hoping Benitez would be the man to help Bale get back to his best, but according to these latest rumours, he won't be getting that opportunity. Reports from Fichajes.net always have to be taken with a grain of salt, per Sport Witness, but as Balague stated, Bale's experience in Madrid truly hasn't been the greatest.

Manchester United struggled to get any kind of production from their forwards in 2014-15, and massive investments are expected during the summer. A player of the caliber of Bale would be exactly what the team requires, and the Mancunians have the financial firepower to make such a move work.

If it's up to Benitez, Bale will likely stay in Madrid. He may not be the most popular man among the club's fans, but he would be an excellent fit for Benitez's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. Last year, Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens saw plenty of the ball with Napoli, and things would be similar for Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo heading into next season.

At this point in time, it's almost impossible to predict where this saga will lead next. The Real fans have criticized Bale, per the Press Association (via the Guardian), and Los Blancos will likely listen to a substantial offer that could help the club land a major fish during the summer.

But given the massive fee it will take to bring Bale to Old Trafford, all conditions will have to be perfect for this transfer to work. Perhaps Real's reported interest in David De Gea, via The Sun's Neil Custis, can be used to facilitate a deal for Bale.

Mancunians Go Head-to-Head With Chelsea for Joao Miranda

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Atletico Madrid's Joao Miranda will be the subject of a transfer battle between Manchester United and Chelsea, according to the Daily Telegraph's Matt Law.

The veteran Brazilian will be a free agent at the end of next season and is no longer an automatic starter for Atleti due to the emergence of Jose Gimenez, and as a result, Miranda will likely be available for the right price.

According to AS (h/t Sport Witness), he's not the only one set to leave the Spanish capital during the summer:

Miranda and Diego Godin teamed up to give Atleti one of the most feared back fours in all of football in 2013-14, and he played a big part in the club's run to the Champions League final and the La Liga title.

He suffered an injury early in the 2014-15 campaign, however, and in his absence, the young Uruguayan Gimenez established himself as a superior option. As reported by ESPN FC's Joseph Walker, Miranda struggled to break back into the team once he was healthy.

With just one year left on his contract, it would make sense for Atletico to cash in while they have the chance. While the Brazil international may be on the wrong side of 30, he still has a lot to offer any club looking for defensive help.

Bleacher Report's Alex Dimond believes that's the case for United, who could be losing a number of defenders during the summer:

The Red Devils lack a top quality centre-back, and while Miranda won't be mistaken for a world-class defender any time soon―Atletico are open to selling him, after all―he would be an immediate starter who would add both quality and tons of experience.

Miranda's price tag will be the main question, as it makes little sense to throw tons of money at an ageing player, but with Chelsea all but set at the centre-back position, one has to assume any transfer would end with Miranda moving to Old Trafford.

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