Man Utd Transfer News: Gareth Bale Had Talks With United Over £100 Million Move

by Joseph Dempsey

Mirror. Yesterday, we reported that the English champions tried to hijack Real Madrid's plans to sign the 24-year-old. And now, we can reveal that United submitted an offer of £100 million for the Wales international. Bale even flew back from Spain to hold talks with the Red Devils, while Madrid president Florentino Perez publicly admitted at the time that a rival bid for the superstar had been made from a then-unknown club. United were desperate to make a marquee signing over the summer but missed out on virtually all of their top targets - Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara and Ander Herrera. And their audacious attempt to scupper Bale's eventual move to the Bernabeu only serves to make disappointment among fans over Moyes' failings in the window feel all the more keen. In the end, only Marouane Fellaini from Everton and rookie Guillermo Varela from Peñarol arrived at Old Trafford while Bale completed his world-transfer record breaking move to Real for £86 million. United have made their worst start to a Premier League season in nine years and are currently eighth in the table following their crushing 4-1 defeat to neighbours Manchester City. They take on Liverpool in the Capital One Cup tonight. Read our match preview here.

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Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.