Gareth Bale Reportedly Wants EPL Transfer Amid Bayern Munich Rumours

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is reportedly keen on a move back to the Premier League despite interest from Bayern Munich.

According to John Richardson of the Sunday Mirror, the Wales international is a target for the Bundesliga side this summer, with his future at the Santiago Bernabeu in doubt.

New Bayern boss Niko Kovac is keen to add Bale to his squad, as he wants to bring in successors to veteran wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.

"But Bale has let it be known that if Madrid decide to cash in on the 28-year-old, then he would rather return to the Premier League rather than move to the Bundesliga," Richardson wrote. "That is just the encouragement Manchester United need as they contemplate their latest attempt to bring the Welsh wizard to Old Trafford."

Bale finds himself in a curious position at Madrid.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man scored a sensational goal after coming off the bench in the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool before a second added the gloss to a 3-1 win. It helped Los Blancos clinch their third successive European Cup and 13th overall.

As journalist Tom Williams noted, the winger has enjoyed a remarkable amount of success since making the move to Madrid in 2013:

Yet his heroic cameo came at the end of a season of frustration for Bale, as he was hindered by form, fitness and a lack of opportunities.

In the 2017-18 campaign, he made just 23 starts in La Liga and the Champions League. But in those competitions, he was still able to net an impressive total of 19 goals, including the most important one of Madrid's season.

Pavel Golovkin/Associated Press

Bale may feel as though he still has something to offer at Madrid, though, and he will surely be welcome to stick around after his exploits in Kiev, Ukraine.

James Robson of the Manchester Evening News suggested manager Zinedine Zidane's departure may hand Bale a lifeline:

According to Richardson, while there is interest from the German champions, Bale would prefer to make the move to Manchester United this summer.

As Juliette Ferrington of BBC Sport relayed, he was quizzed on the prospect of a return to the English game after the Champions League final:

Any Premier League side that does shell out for Bale will know they are getting a player who is proven in English football's top flight, as he previously shone for Tottenham before making the switch to Madrid. In his last two seasons with Spurs, he scored 30 goals.

There are issues for any potential buyers, though. Bale turns 29 in July and has a long history of injury problems. It means there would be big hesitations about paying the type of money Madrid would want for the forward, and that may limit his options if he is to leave the Spanish capital this summer.