Ryan Giggs: Gareth Bale Is Happy at Real Madrid and Wants to Stay Amid Rumours

Wales boss Ryan Giggs has said Gareth Bale is happy at Real Madrid and hopes to stay despite speculation linking him with a move away from the club.

Speaking to Marca's Jose Felix Diaz, Giggs said: "He's happy at Real Madrid, he wants to stay, there's no doubt. He knows that the coach and the club respect him and he wants to show the fans what he is capable of."

According to Fernando Rodrigo of Diario Gol (h/t Mikael McKenzie of the Express), Bale is open to joining Manchester United and could be used in an exchange for David De Gea.

Giggs dismissed such talk, though: "I don't know, but Bale has no intention of leaving and Real Madrid won't sell the player. It's clear that United would've been very good for him, but I don't think that's an option at the moment, he's not going to leave Real Madrid."

Injuries have hampered Bale in recent years, and he has been limited to just 18 appearances in all competitions, but he has accrued nine goals and five assists despite that.

Reuters' Richard Martin put his form in perspective with Los Blancos struggling this season:

"

Gareth Bale is Real Madrid's top scorer in Liga despite being injured for most of the season. Only started seven games but has six goals. Ronaldo has started 15 and has four.

— Richard Martin (@Rich9908) January 21, 2018"

The Welshman has not always been welcomed with open arms by fans at the Santiago Bernabeu—some of whom have even been known to whistle Cristiano Ronaldo or Zinedine Zidane—but they showed their appreciation of him after he netted a brace in their 7-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna earlier in January, per ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan:

It was the second brace Bale has bagged since his return to fitness, and it offered a timely reminder of what he can do amid the speculation surrounding his long-term future at the club.

The 28-year-old is pacey and powerful, and he's prolific in front of goal—his record of 76 goals in 168 appearances for Los Blancos amounts to an almost one-in-two ratio ostensibly from wide positions, not to mention his 56 assists.

Unusually for a winger, he's also superb in the air, per WhoScored.com:

His fitness will be a concern whether he stays in Madrid or moves on, but there's little room for him at United now following the acquisition of Alexis Sanchez.

As such, unless another wealthy club emerge as potential suitors and they're willing to gamble on a player with his injury record, it seems he will be remaining in the Spanish capital.