According to OK Diario, Manchester United are set to face fresh competition from Inter Milan in their pursuit of Real Madrid outcast Gareth Bale. It is believed that former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is keen to add more quality to the Inter attack. As a result, Bale has emerged as the latest target for the Nerazzurri.
Bale’s struggles at Real Madrid
Bale is expected to leave Real Madrid in the summer as the former European champions brace themselves for a squad overhaul. Los Blancos have already secured the services of Luka Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt while Eden Hazard is also said to be closing in on a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Hence, a future at Madrid seems bleak for Bale, who has struggled with recurring injuries and lack of form for the most of his six-year spell with the club.
The Welshman is yet to muster more than 2,000 minutes of league football in any of his last four seasons in the Spanish top flight. And in the recently concluded campaign, Bale was often overlooked in favour of the young Vinicius Junior, with the ex-Tottenham star restricted to just 1,791 minutes of league football.
Where does Bale fit in at Manchester United?
Bale would be a substantial addition to Manchester United given their lack of reliable options in attack. The likes of Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard have all struggled with inconsistency this past season. As a result, United have appeared overreliant on the services of young Marcus Rashford.
Bale, to that end, could add more the quality as well as depth into the Manchester United attack. But, what makes him such an appealing target for the Red Devils is his previous exposure in the Premier League. Indeed, the 29-year-old featured in almost 150 matches in the English top flight during his spell at Tottenham Hotspur. That means he could find it easier to integrate to the new club, thanks to his vast experience in English football.
Bale can be deployed as the partnering forward to Rashford in Solskjaer’s 4-3-1-2 formation. He can also feature as a wide attacker in case of a 4-2-3-1. His presence in the final third will surely add more bite into the United attack.
Inter Milan’s apparent interest could complicate things
Inter Milan’s emergence as one of Bale’s potential suitors would be a massive blow for Manchester United. This is primarily because the Italian giants will be able to offer him Champions League football next season – something United can’t provide, having finished sixth in the recently concluded Premier League campaign.
Inter won’t be deterred by Bale’s expenses either, thanks to financial backing from Chinese investors, although they may have to get rid of at least one of their star players to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules.
But, at the same time, United should continue to convince Bale to make a move to Old Trafford, which will not only offer him with the opportunity to return to his homeland but also to earn potentially bigger wages. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga takes shape in the coming weeks.
