Manchester United Transfer News: Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo Rumours Grow

Manchester United have been handed a big boost in their pursuit of Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, after reports emerged that the Welshman’s Bernabeu career hinges on president Florentino Perez’s future.

Club members will take Perez to court this week after he was perceived to have changed internal laws to fend off presidency challengers, per Anthony Kastrinakis of the Sun. If the members win the hearing, they’ll have the perfect chance to overthrow the man in charge.

That much would then see Bale head for the exit door, according to a Real Madrid insider:

"

There is no doubt that, if Florentino Perez quits as president, Bale will be sold. He has simply not been good enough and, if there is a shift away from marketing—and football becomes once again the principal reason players are signed—then Bale will be sold as long as Real can make a profit.

"

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

United are now apparently on red alert waiting for concrete news on Bale, who they’ve tried to land many times before.

Kastrinakis reports United have had both £100 million and £125 million bids knocked back by Real and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, and they’ll have to put similarly astronomical offers on the table if they’re to land Bale in January or the summer.

The Welshman’s form has been rather worrying of late, though. In the 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Barcelona on Saturday, Bale looked a shadow of his former self—someone who caused nothing but nightmares for La Liga defences, as we see below:

Now, however, his place at the Bernabeu is being questioned.

French outlet L’Equipe was particularly critical of the 26-year-old, via Tom Williams of AFP:

Yet United won’t be deterred, and if Perez does resign, they’ll be ready to make a move for Bale’s signature.

Plus, the man himself recently added fuel to the transfer fire by refusing to rule out a return to the Premier League—per Simon Mullock of Daily Mirror:

"I will never say never when it comes to going back to the Premier League, because you don’t know what the future holds."

Bale isn't the only Galactico linked with a switch to Old Trafford, though, as Cristiano Ronaldo could well be heading back to his former club.

United manager Louis van Gaal recently identified the Portuguese star as a transfer target, although he admitted that signing Ronaldo would be tricky—via BBC Sport: “We are looking at all players, not just Ronaldo. But these players are mostly ungettable. With Ronaldo, let's wait and hope."

However, reports have now surfaced that Ronaldo wants out of Madrid after falling out with manager Rafa Benitez. The Sun writes that the 30-year-old told Perez: “It’s Benitez or me.”

Barcelona taught Real a cruel lesson in the first El Clasico of the season—and unless performances improve, there could well be a Bernabeu exodus.

Madrid’s loss will undoubtedly be United’s gain, though, and if they can bring the likes of Bale and Ronaldo to Old Trafford, they’ll edge ever closer to rekindling the glory days.