Report: Gareth Bale Happy at Real Madrid, Dashing Manchester United Hopes

Gareth Bale is not interested in a move to Manchester United despite Real Madrid reportedly preparing to sell the Wales international.

Telemadrid (h/t Charlotte Duncker of the Manchester Evening News) reported Los Blancos president Florentino Perez is considering offloading the attacker in the near future as the UEFA Champions League holders question the player's long-term benefit to their squad.

However, Neil Fissler of the Sunday Express wrote "Bale is set to resist all attempts from Real Madrid to force him into a summer move" to Old Trafford.

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United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is desperate to land a superstar for the Red Devils to placate supporters after a poor start to the season, and Bale would have been the perfect fit for his mandate.

Woodward would be happy to add a player that carries immense commercial value as well as signing a talent with world-class experience.

Fissler added former Real manager Zinedine Zidane was keen to sell Bale during his tenure, but Perez backed the winger at the time, as the Frenchman decided to quit the club just days after Los Blancos won their third UEFA Champions League final in a row.

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New coach Julen Lopetegui is now at the helm after his spell with the Spain national team, and Bale has been utilised by the Spaniard, with the 52-year-old able to speak to Bale in English.

Per the Daily Mail (h/t Marca), Bale was coy when asked about communication and if Lopetegui is better than Zidane.

"Obviously, it helps, I can speak in Spanish, but maybe I won't need to go into the amount of detail I normally would," said Bale. "I'm not sure I want to respond to whether I think Julen is better than Zidane."

At 29, Bale is in the peak years of his career, and Real will know they will need to sell sooner rather than later if they want to recoup a large transfer fee.

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Per Fissler, Perez has plans to bring in Eden Hazard from Chelsea in a blockbuster deal, and the Belgium international is making all the right noises in regards to arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Hazard could take Bale's place in the starting XI, and it's difficult to envisage both players in tandem together.

However, Bale could duplicate Cristiano Ronaldo and move to a central role, offering Hazard the space to operate in his favoured left channel.

United's search for world-class talent will plough forward, but as they continue to misfire in the Premier League and Europe, United become a less attractive prospect for players at the top of their game.

Bale might be happy at Madrid at present, but he will not tolerate becoming a bit-part player if Hazard arrives in the Spanish capital next summer.