Manchester United Transfer News: Gareth Bale, Raphael Varane Bid Rumours Emerge

Manchester United have had a £110 million offer for Real Madrid's Gareth Bale and Raphael Varane rejected, according to Spanish newspapers Cuatro and El Mundo Deportivo (h/t Ben Jefferson of the Express).

Jefferson's article indicates this approach has been "rebuffed" by Los Blancos, but United will "revisit the issue" if Madrid try to sign goalkeeper David De Gea. Ongoing speculation continues to link De Gea with a switch to the Bernabeu, as reported by Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail, with Neil Custis of the Sun recently suggesting the deal is almost complete:

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

Previous reports indicated Portuguese defender Fabio Coentrao could be offered in a player-plus-cash deal for De Gea, per Marca (h/t Rajvir Rai of the MailOnline). Sport Witness hint United are in a position of power when negotiating for De Gea's future and could use a major name to eliminate Madrid's threat:

It's possible a £110 million bid for Bale and Varane would be seen as posturing in this ongoing situation. Both players are key to Madrid's future and can expect greater opportunities to prove their worth after Rafa Benitez was confirmed as boss on Wednesday, as reported by Madrid's official website.

Sky Sports' Guillem Balague believes United have little chance of luring the club's stars away, but De Gea remains a key target for Madrid:

De Gea recently declined to offer significant comment on his potential whereabouts next season, saying: "We'll see what happens with my future," as reported by Manu Sainz of AS. United boss Louis van Gaal is unlikely to find a replacement who possesses De Gea's reflexes, but he will be pleased to have captured Victor Valdes in January.

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Like the ever-progressing De Gea saga, United continue to be touted with a move for Bale. Links have trickled on since before the January transfer window, coinciding with the Welshman's struggling form during his second season in Spain, per the Express (h/t the Telegraph). He has been jeered, had his car attacked and often looked out of sorts in the Madrid team. 

Bale's pace, power and ability to drive teams forward makes him an ideal signing for United. Too often Van Gaal's men were unable to stretch the opposition's defence during the 2014-15 season, struggling with slow, blunted attacking play. Bale has the quality to change that if he's deployed in a central role.

United's defence has also remained a point of much contention, with leaky performances leading the team to a number of embarrassing results throughout the last campaign. The 5-3 loss to Leicester City (not to mention the 4-0 Capital One Cup defeat to MK Dons), highlighted a United back line which is vulnerable to pacey, direct attacks.

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Varane's long strides allow him to cover considerable ground, but his main qualities stem from his ability to read the game. He's powerful, dominant in the air and alert to problems before they become significant, so would also amount to an excellent signing for Van Gaal. 

Borussia Dortmund Mats Hummels and Valencia's Nicolas Otamendi have been linked with the club, as reported by the Mirror (h/t Telegraph Sport). Varane would offer a top-class alternative to both. B/R UK's Sam Tighe recently discussed which centre-backs United should consider:

Landing one of Bale or Varane seems unlikely, so grabbing the pair would be sensational for United. It's likely the clubs will eventually settle on a middle ground for the transfer of De Gea, who is yet to give any indication he wishes to remain at Old Trafford next season.

Van Gaal is expected to improve on United's fourth-place finish next year, so he needs to purchase a plethora of world-class talents throughout the summer.

Dreams of Bale and Varane may persist, but right now it seems Madrid are more likely to gain a United star than let anyone make the opposite move.