English football giant Manchester United is holding talks with Real Madrid over a possible move for Welsh forward Gareth Bale this summer transfer window, according to a media report.
British daily The Independent, quoting multiple sources in Spain and Manchester, reported that reigning Spanish champions Real are willing to listen to offers from United for Bale and the subject has already been broached between the two clubs.
Real Madrid are looking to open up space for signing either Monaco's Kylian Mbappe or Eden Hazard from Chelsea.
According to the report, for his part, Bale is known to have told colleagues that United is one of the very few destinations he would leave Real Madrid for.
Real president Florentino Perez backs Bale, having signed him for a world record 86 million pounds (around $111 million) from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013. But the Champions League final may see Spanish playmaker Isco leap ahead of the injured Welsh star and fostered discussion about how Zinedine Zidane's team is more cohesive without him.
This has also led to conflicts between influential members of the Real boardroom arguing that Bale could well be the high-profile player to leave this summer.
For Manchester United, Bale long predates their pursuit of Griezmann, having tried to sign the Welsh international when he first moved to Madrid in 2013.
-- IANS
sam/pur/bg
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