In a recent report, The Daily Express has revealed that Manchester United could be tempted to launch a move for Real Madrid wing wizard Gareth Bale in this off-season. It is believed that Los Blancos are willing to ship the Welsh international out of the Spanish capital which could open the door for the Red Devils to land him during this summer transfer period (via The Daily Express).
Bale’s Lacklustre Season At The Bernabeu
Bale experienced a poor season under the stewardship of Zinedine Zidane as he struggled to make regular first-team appearances for the Madrid giants over the past 12 months. The Welsh wide player was involved in 20 matches for Los Blancos in the previous campaign, netting three goals and grabbing two assists in multiple competitions.
The Cardiff-born player finished his season with a La Liga winner’s medal around his neck as he averaged 2.1 shots, 0.6 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per game in the Spanish top-flight and the UEFA Champions League. Bale also took care of the ball well when distributing it in the attacking third as evident from his pass success rate of 79% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The 31-year-old has got a wealth of experience at the international level after banging in 33 goals in 83 senior fixtures for the Welsh national team thus far. However, Bale’s club career is going nowhere at the moment with the Madrid outfit hoping to find a suitable buyer for him this summer.
What Are The Welsh Winger’s Greatest Strengths?
Bale is slowing down with each year, but can still make some powerful runs using his pace and dribbling ability to get to the byline out on the wide areas. He is also excellent at creating space for himself in and around the opposition penalty box which allows him to get a few shots in on-target. The Welshman can be a prolific goal-scorer and assist-maker for his side when he is firing on all cylinders going forward. The former Tottenham Hotspur talent is versatile enough to play as a winger on either flank or assume the duties of a centre-forward up top.
Is Bale The Right Choice For The Red Devils This Summer?
However, frequent injury problems have taken a toll on his body, so Bale will be a risky acquisition for Man United during this ongoing transfer window. The Red Devils head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has currently got Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Daniel James fighting for a place on the flanks at the Theatre of Dreams. Hence, the Norwegian manager has enough room in his squad for the arrival of a new winger in this off-season.
At 31, Bale is currently on the decline and only has a few more seasons left in him to play at a high level. With all things considered, he won’t be an intelligent choice for Man United to consider this summer as he is not good enough to start at Old Trafford next season.
