Man Utd Transfer News: Red Devils Made Gareth Bale Bid

By Joseph Dempsey /

according to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. United manager David Moyes suffered a summer of frustration in the transfer window, missing out on such targets as Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara and Ander Herrera. And now you can add another midfielder's name to that list - Bale - if Perez's claims are accurate. The Madrid supremo said:

"Signing the best players out there is Madrid€™s philosophy and Bale was the best available player on the market this summer. We had been following him for two years. "Tottenham did not want to sell. We learned that Manchester United had made an offer and we made one ourselves."
Perez's claim tallies with previous reports that the English champions made a dramatic, last minute bid to scupper Madrid's pursuit of the 24-year-old. But the bid failed when Bale instead completed a world-transfer-record-breaking move to the Spanish capital, estimated to have been somewhere in the region of £85.3 million. The Wales international immediately enamoured himself with Madridistas by scoring on his debut at Villarreal, though injury later ruled the ex-Southampton man out of Madrid€™s home clash with Getafe last weekend. News that United tried - but failed - to sign the double PFA Player of the Year will hit hard, as will the fact former player Cristiano Ronaldo has penned a new, three-year contract extension at the Bernabeu. Perez concluded:
"The renewal of Cristiano Ronaldo has been easy €“ he is determined to finish his career at Real Madrid. "Cristiano never spoke of money with me."
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.

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