Gareth Bale breaks silence on Man Utd transfer meeting and life-changing choice
Gareth Bale has confirmed that Manchester United made a higher bid to sign him from Tottenham in 2013 than Real Madrid before the Wales icon moved to Spain for £85million
Gareth Bale has revealed that Manchester United offered a larger amount to Tottenham to secure his signature in 2013 before his then-world record transfer to Real Madrid.
The Wales legend was amongst the most sought-after forwards in global football at the conclusion of the 2012/13 campaign after scoring 26 goals in 44 appearances for Spurs. Bale attracted interest from United, who were under fresh leadership with David Moyes, and Madrid, penning a six-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu in September.
Almost 13 years on, Bale has disclosed how United were keen to sign him and why he decided not to join the English champions. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the he said said: "United and Madrid were the two teams [who were interested]. I did talk to United, yeah. They actually bid more than Madrid."
JOIN OUR WALES FOOTBALL FB PAGE! Get latest news, analysis and more on The Dragons
Asked if he was eever going to sign for United, he replied: "No." He added: "I spoke with David Moyes. Not [Ed Woodward], maybe my agent did. My heart was set on Madrid. I had something in place with Daniel Levy, maybe more of a gentleman's agreement, because he didn't want to sell me to a rival.
"So if a team did come in from Spain, Italy or wherever, I could potentially go because if we didn't qualify for the Champions League, which we didn't, I was then able to go there. We had that gentleman's agreement, even though he made it very tough."
Gary Neville asked Bale why he turned down a move to United at the time, questioning whether the club had proposed a higher salary. It was widely reported at the time that he had accepted a weekly wage of £300,000 in Spain.
However, Bale admitted that discussions with United never reached the point of negotiating his contract. "I didn't go down the wages route," he stated. "They offered more money to buy me, but it didn't really get any legs."
Moyes, who left the club after eight months, has subsequently disclosed that United were pursuing Bale alongside Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas that summer. Ultimately, Marouane Fellaini arrived from Everton for £27.5m.
"It's been well documented that we wanted Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo," Moyes said in 2014. "There was talk of Ronaldo when I first arrived. We were close to getting a couple of major names."