Manchester United do not regard Gareth Bale among their priority targets this summer as Real Madrid look to offload the Welshman.
A senior United source told the MEN Bale should be filed low down on United's list as the club focuses on younger recruits in the current window. Bale turns 29 in July and appears to be on borrowed time at the Bernabeu after Zinedine Zidane was reappointed as coach in March.
Bale is contracted to Real until 2022 but has never been more attainable for long-time admirers United, although it would represent a drastic about-turn if they were to move for Bale. United covet the 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, are interested in Swansea rookie Daniel James and the MEN revealed United tabled a fresh enquiry for an international winger last week.
Bale was an unused substitute in Real's 2-0 defeat to Real Betis on the final day of the season and Zidane suggested Bale 'does not fit into the team'. Real want to sign Eden Hazard and remain interested in the Paris Saint-Germain pair Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, though any move would be dependent on shifting Bale.
United have made at least four attempts to sign Bale since they scouted him as a teenager at Southampton in 2006 and they submitted a world record £86million offer in 2013, the summer Bale moved to Madrid from Tottenham for £85m. Former United manager Jose Mourinho also publicly courted Bale during the 2017 summer window.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer indicated in February United would shy away from their 'superstar' strategy of recent years and the Norwegian is overseeing a recruitment reboot with an emphasis on younger players available for the long-term.
"I can’t really comment on Gareth Bale or specific players," Solskjaer said back in March. "Because they're property of other clubs but we should look for quality players, definitely, and players who could improve us as a team.
"There’s so many factors you need to think about when you sign players. It’s easy when you’re in the media or when you’re a supporter, you can think short-term. We've got to think about the longevity as well, who’s going to fit in personality-wise.
"So there's so many things that we need to think about."
Bale, whose Spanish is so limited he has conducted just one broadcast interview in the language during his six years with Real, is barely on speaking terms with Zidane and admitted after his matchwinning goals in last year's Champions League final he had to 'seriously consider' leaving after he started the game on the bench. Zidane stepped down days later and Madrid then sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus to effectively secure Bale's Real future.
However, Bale failed to establish himself as a regular under Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Scolari this season prior to Zidane's return and Real are determined to reinforce their attack with at least one marquee addition in the summer.
Earlier this season, Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett castigated Real fans for booing the former Tottenham forward and Bale's aloofness in the Real squad was exposed by teammate Thibaut Courtois. Bale is nicknamed 'The Golfer' by his Real colleagues.
