Manchester United Transfer News: Gareth Bale Won't Leave Madrid, Latest Rumours

Wales coach Chris Coleman has questioned the rumours tying international star Gareth Bale to Manchester United this summer, insisting his player is in no rush to leave Real Madrid.

Coleman told Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday Bale is strong enough to rise above any criticism he's encountered in the Spanish capital and notes there are other culpable figures in Rafa Benitez's squad (h/t Eurosport's Desmond Kane):

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Bale is in no rush to leave Real Madrid. Manchester United are who they are, but why is he going to want to leave Madrid? I know he came in for a lot of criticism and was seen as the president's boy because of the huge transfer fee and he was targeted.

I watched a lot of Madrid’s games and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Karim] Benzema, Isco were having bad times, but Balely was targeted for sure and they left him out in the cold. The newspapers gave him a hard time when most of the players were having a tough time. But he is strong enough and [will] come through that and I think he will have a good season with Benitez.

"

Bale has fired Wales to within two wins of qualifying for Euro 2016 in France, sitting three points clear at the top of Group B with four pool matches remaining.

Coleman went on to say that the slower pace of La Liga and decreased physicality in comparison with the Premier League has also benefited former Tottenham Hotspur star Bale, per Kane's report:

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Personally I think the Premier League is such a physical demand on the guys. With Balely, if you are that good offensively you are going to get kicked and beat up a bit. The Premier League is the hardest league physically, so, selfishly, when I get him from La Liga he is better physically probably than when he was at Tottenham. The tempo is different in Spain, it’s slower.

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Joe Short of the Express recently reported the Red Devils were preparing a £95 million offer for Bale, having just sold Angel Di Maria to Paris Saint-Germain.

United have frequently been attached to Bale as one of the more likely outfits to facilitate a Premier League return for the winger as they reportedly boast the spending power to do so.

David Rogers/Getty Images

Bale scored 22 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions during his debut campaign with Real and was an instant success, but last season's record of 17 goals in 48 games was less impressive.

Injury absences for Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in pre-season have seen Bale line up in a centre-forward role at times, a transition Goal's Ben Hayward doesn't agree with:

Bale has made nine appearances for his country since completing his Real Madrid transfer in September 2013, per Transfermarkt, scoring six goals in that space of time, including five during Euro 2016 qualification.

That makes for a ratio of one goal every 1.5 games compared to a record of 11 goals in his 41 international appearances prior to the Madrid move—a far less impressive average of one goal every 3.72 games.

Pre/Post	Games	Goals	Games Per Goal
Pre (Before Sept. 1, 2013)	41	11	3.74
Post (After Sept. 1, 2013)	9	6	1.50

Perhaps Coleman is right in asserting Bale's game has been upgraded considerably since joining the likes of Ronaldo and co. at the Santiago Bernabeu, absorbing some of their Midas touch in front of goal.

The Welsh wizard can also look forward to more freedom under Benitez. The Spaniard was quoted as saying the following by Real Madrid Info after Los Blancos' 0-0 draw against Valerenga in Oslo on Sunday:

Having signed a six-year deal with the 2014 Champions League winners two years ago, Bale is committed to the Real Madrid cause until 2019, and Los Merengues are under no pressure to sell.

Manchester United's desire to land the former Spurs maestro may be great, but his national team coach is reaping the benefits of his La Liga form and doesn't see a move materialising anytime soon.

Red Devils Revive Harry Kane Rumours

OLI SCARFF/Getty Images

As well as being interested in a star of Tottenham past, Manchester United are reviving their interest in a current White Hart Lane icon following reports Harry Kane is once again on their radar.

John Cross of the Mirror writes that "discreet enquiries" have been made for Mauricio Pochettino's front man, who gave United a first-hand account of his ability en route to a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

The report insists that "any encouragement" from the north Londoners will be met with a renewed bid from the Red Devils, who hope to replenish their front line after letting Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie leave this summer.

Kane scored 31 goals across all competitions last season and was a key element for Pochettino's side, telling BT Sport he plans to fire Spurs back into the top four this season:

United manager Louis van Gaal has already signed Memphis Depay this summer, but the club may be seen as needing competition up front already tested in the English top flight.

Van Gaal's side were rescued on Saturday thanks to an own goal from Spurs defender Kyle Walker, but the Dutchman remains adamant his side aren't prioritising a striker signing, per Goal:

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No, that is not a special item for me - it is more in the media they are discussing about a striker. The striker is Wayne Rooney and we also have [Javier] Hernandez, [Adnan] Januzaj and [James] Wilson. It is not a special objective for me.

But when we can buy another striker who has a lot of qualities, more than our players, then we buy. But we have always done that. I said it before but they [the media] are not writing it. I have said it before, we have Rooney. You [the media] said he has to play in a striker’s position.

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Rooney has been forced to accommodate the team in recent seasons, playing as far back as central midfield despite bursting on to the scene as a young striker at Everton 13 years ago.

United supporters may be open to the idea of England team-mates Kane and Rooney jostling for the same striker role at Old Trafford, but convincing Tottenham to part ways with their star is a mountainous task.