Real Madrid have told Manchester United that they will have to pay Gareth Bale’s buy-out clause in his contract if they are to secure his services, a fee that would be an eyewatering £450 million, claim the Sun. That is likely to put an end to any hopes that Ed Woodward and Jose Mourinho had of bringing the Welshman to Old Trafford, particularly as the winger is seemingly content at the Bernabeu and is increasingly seen as the replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.
For United, it is likely to mean that attentions will be turned elsewhere for their next Galactico signing as they appear to be struggling to attract the world’s biggest players and convince clubs to part with their key men despite a successful transfer window this summer. With a move for Bale now seemingly off the cards and Neymar having turned down the Red Devils, it has been a bad week for Ed Woodward.
Ryan Giggs has also spoken out to explain his departure from the club where he spent all of his career before leaving this summer. He told the Manchester Evening News:
“It was the right time. There was a new manager and a new coaching staff… It was a brilliant two years education wise, but it was a tough two years. I was ready for a break away from football… I’ve always said for me, and for most people, you always want to manage the club you’ve played at. If you ask Steven Gerrard, he will want to manage Liverpool or England, and it’s the same for me with United and Wales. I played at United for so long, if the opportunity came to manage them it would be the ultimate.”
Giggs is now looking for a managerial role and was in contention for the Swansea City job, but it would be a dream come true for both Giggs and many United fans if he one day returned to sit in the Old Trafford dugout as manager of the club.
Italian newspaper Leggo now claim that Inter Milan have made an offer worth £13.5 million for right back Matteo Darmian, with the Italian set to leave the club in January. There had been speculation that United had offered his services to Barcelona, but that seems to have sparked Inter Milan into life with a bid now being prepared.
Darmian started life in Manchester well after signing last summer, but his form became inconsistent and average under Louis Van Gaal, with Jose Mourinho now making it clear that he would not tolerate such performances. Darmian’s exit now seems inevitable, it only remains to be seen where his destination will be.
Featured Image: All rights reserved by Habergaraj.