3. Manchester City
If United are in the race for Gareth Bale, then surely Manchester City will be too. Van Persie has already been mentioned, but it is the opinion of many that his decision to pick United over City has been the big difference in the two sides this season. If a similar situation were to come about this summer then surely Mancini would be a fool not to beat Ferguson to it this time. Out of the two clubs, City probably have more chance of affording Bale. United will have money to spend, but surely not as much as their oil-rich rivals. It seems likely that some player will become the rope in a United-City summer tug of war, whether it is indeed Bale, or someone like Everton's Marouane Fellaini. Out of those two, though, Bale presents a more catalytic figure; someone who could spark an instant revival at City and get them back to the exciting side we all watched with awe last year. Presuming, of course, United do go on to a seemingly inevitable league win this season, then City will be in the exact position their rivals were in a year previous. The psychological boost of a player like Bale choosing them would be massive.