Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Gareth Bale, Rodrigo Dourado Rumours

Manchester United reportedly remain keen on bringing Real Madrid's Gareth Bale to Old Trafford this summer, but the Welshman has been encouraged to stay with the Spanish giants by a former Los Blancos star.

According to Ian Herbert and Pete Jenson of the London Evening Standard, the Red Devils remain “eager” to bring the former Tottenham Hotspur sensation back to the Premier League, potentially as part of a deal that will see David De Gea go the other way.

The piece claims that while Madrid’s outward stance is that Bale will not be sold, United have the financial muscle to test that resolve.

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It’s a transfer that would represent a major statement of ambition from the 20-time English champions. Harry Redknapp, who managed Bale at Spurs, had this to say when asked if the Welshman could transform United into title winners again, per Alex Harris of the Daily Star:

"

If you said to me, as a Premier League manager you could have the pick of one player in the world, it would be Gareth above any other player—if he wanted to come back.

A year ago, for me, he was the third best player in the world.

He maybe has fallen behind Neymar and Luis Suarez now but he could come back here, as a fantastic footballer, and if he came back to England he could change the fortunes of a football club—he has that much ability.

"

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Bale would be loath to give up on his Real Madrid dream. While his second season couldn’t have possibly gone better than his first, the 2014-15 campaign was always going to be a tough one for the world’s most expensive player. He’ll be hoping a summer of rest and recuperation will help him to rediscover his best again next season.

Steve McManaman, who scored in the 1999-00 Champions League final for Los Blancos, has encouraged Bale to stick it out and said there are plenty at the club who still want him around, per Paul Doyle of the Guardian:

"

He had a great first season, culminating in scoring in two finals and he scored 17 goals last season even with an injury-hit year that meant he probably wasn’t quite physically at his best in the latter part of it.

I haven’t spoken to him and don’t necessarily know him as well as some people but if he says he is going to stay, then hopefully he will and prove a big success. I’ve spoken to a lot of the staff at Real and they want him to stay.

"

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If United can sign Bale, they would be considered serious contenders in the Premier League again. The Welshman is a proven talent in English football and would be afforded a key role in manager Louis van Gaal’s setup, a luxury that cannot be given to him at Real Madrid with so many other attacking stars.

There’s so much more for Bale to offer at the Santiago Bernabeu, though. The supporters have soured in their opinions toward the Welshman after some poor showings, but Madridistas are notoriously fickle. If Bale begins next season in form, all will be forgotten and talk of a transfer will quickly be shelved again.

Rodrigo Dourado Set to Sign

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United’s second summer signing will reportedly be 20-year-old midfielder Rodrigo Dourado. According to Simon Jones of the MailOnline, the Red Devils are looking to strike a deal with Internacional, but the club are keen to keep the midfielder on board until after the Copa Libertadores has concluded.

Here’s a look at the kind of talent he would bring to Old Trafford:

According to Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Marc Williams of the Daily Star), the United hierarchy see the Brazilian as a potential long-term successor to Michael Carrick. Williams’ piece claims the capture of the player is “days away.”

He’d be the second bright youngster to join the Red Devils this summer, with Memphis Depay already agreeing a transfer from PSV Eindhoven. Bleacher Report’s Stan Collymore is very excited about the acquisition of the Dutchman:

Dourado is a different player to Depay, operating at the base of the Internacional midfield and looking to dictate play with his athleticism and range of passing. He’s a little raw still, as you would expect, but Brazilian football expert Lucas Sposito rates him very highly indeed:

Replacing Carrick is going to be an almighty ask for United. That role in front of the back four is so important in Van Gaal’s 4-3-3 system, and while Daley Blind was deployed there in the final knockings of last season, he doesn’t quite possess the positional instincts needed to flourish in that facet of the XI.

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Dourado will do eventually, and he would be a savvy purchase for United with the future in mind. But he’s not ready to fill Carrick’s boots yet, and if the Red Devils are chasing a like-for-like acquisition, they’re better suited looking elsewhere.