“I’m sorry, United fans, but it doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”
Gareth Bale is living the dream at Real Madrid.
In little over a year since the Spanish giants came calling, he has become the most expensive player in the world, bagged 36 goals, almost as many assists and lifted four trophies, including the Champions League.
So why on earth would he want to join Manchester United?
I’m sorry, United fans, but it doesn’t make any sense whatsoever no matter how much money is on the table.
Think about it. Gone are the days when Sir Alex Ferguson had the Red Devils terrorising Europe’s top teams. Nowadays, United are only just beginning to show signs under Louis van Gaal of being able to compete in the Premier League.
In bringing the Old Trafford club back to life, Van Gaal has already spent £150 million and they’ve got more in the bank. Yet even a world record bid for Bale is a non-starter for me, because the Welshman would be taking a huge backwards step.
In Real Madrid, he has found himself a club capable of racking up multiple League titles, Champions Leagues and goodness knows what else. By staying there, he will continue to be a huge success. In moving to United, by contrast, he would be signing up for a project and that’s what I think this whole story is about.
As a club, Manchester United has become a bit of a fixer-upper since Sir Alex Ferguson left. That is a fact. Davie Moyes’ tenure as boss was a huge disappointment. So much so, those in charge needed to make a statement with their next appointment and to back him financially. That is exactly what they have done so far with Louis van Gaal.
But such is the desperation at Old Trafford to see the club returned to its former status, the Board are under pressure to go even further, and to keep spending in pursuit of success.
Even implying that they are going to drop £120-million on Gareth Bale will be seen by plenty of fans as proof of the club’s commitment to that policy. That’s enough to keep most of the pressure off the Board.
For as long as United are a work in progress, those big-money gambles will keep happening, and some will come off.
But Gareth Bale coming back to the Premier League, and signing on at Old Trafford, won’t be one of them.
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