Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has confirmed the rumors that Manchester United wanted Gareth Bale and that they had submitted a bid for the Welshman.
The 24-year-old moved from Tottenham to Real Madrid earlier this month for $137 million (£86m) after three months of negotiations.
During that time, rumors flew that Manchester United was interested in bringing Bale to Old Trafford and that the Red Devils had bid on the winger, for possibly as much as $202 million.
MORE: David Moyes tight-lipped on Bale to United
Without going into specific numbers, Perez noted United’s bid and his belief that Real scooped Bale on the cheap.
“Bale has come cheaply,” Perez said. “Signing the best players out there is Madrid’s philosophy and Bale was the best available player on the market this summer. We had been following him for two years.
“Tottenham did not want to sell. We learned that Manchester United had made an offer and we made one ourselves,” Perez continued. “Since childhood he had had the dream of playing for Real Madrid and he asked us to make it possible for him to come.”
Some may view United’s failed bid for Bale as yet another blow to David Moyes, who has endured a difficult start to his career at Old Trafford.
Entering the summer transfer market the Scot’s goal was to add creativity to the United midfield. But after failed bids for Thiago Alcantara, Cesc Fabregas and now, apparently, Bale, the United gaffer purchased Marouane Fellaini on a deadline day worth $44 million (£27.5m).
That purchase, which could have been made for $6.4 million (£4m) less had it been done before Fellaini’s release clause expired on August 1st, has been condemned as a rush buy and one that many feel failed to address United’s creative needs.
Given Bale’s professed childhood love for Madrid, however, perhaps classifying the situation as a blow to Moyes’ is misplaced. At the very least the Scot’s failed bid evidences a desire to address the needs of his squad and to bring the best players in the world to Old Trafford.