Is this deal ever going to happen?
For months, if not more like years, Man United fans have been consuming content linking the Red Devils with Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic.
Jose Mourinho was spotted personally scouting Perisic last season in Croatia, while the 28-year-old has been constantly tipped to swap the San Siro for Old Trafford this summer.
But the deal hasn’t transpired. Moreover, Perisic went on Inter’s pre-season tour of Asia, while this week Gianluca Di Marziosuggested that the Man United deal is fading away.
Could Man United have switched focus from Perisic to Gareth Bale?
That’s the story on the back page of the Star on Friday, as the red-top reveal updates on Bale first released by Spanish paper Marca on Thursday.
In the wake of Neymar’s world record move to PSG, many are now wondering what’s happening with Kylian Mbappe.
Thought to be on his way to Madrid, could Barca swoop for the 18-year-old Monaco star?
There now seems to be more urgency for Los Blancos to wrap up the Mbappe deal, and in that context many are wondering which of the BBC may drop down the pecking order.
Cristiano Ronaldo clearly isn’t going anywhere, while reports out of Spain continue to suggest that Karim Benzema curries more favour than Bale.
Cue the Man United links to the former Spurs superstar.
The Spanish paper tout the line that if Mbappe moves to the Santiago Bernabeu, Bale will be shunted towards the Madrid exit door.
Not only that, but Madrid have priced Bale at 100 million euros, while Los Blancos have “begun secretly probing the Premier League” for suitors.
Marca note that Man United have “shown interest” in landing Bale, while “Chelseaalso seem interested”.
Man United and Chelsea have been constantly at odds this summer in the transfer market – Romelu Lukaku picked the Red Devils over the Blues when he opted to leave Everton.
The Star report the Bale story as follows:
Man United are poised to make a £90m swoop for Welsh superstar Gareth Bale.
United have a long-standing interest in Bale but Mourinho said recently he didn’t want to waste time and energy chasing a player who seemed happy at the Bernabeu.
But if Real make it clear they want Bale out or that out his first team chances will be severely limited by Mbappe’s arrival, that could change everything.
After Neymar’s Barcelona exit, could La Liga be about to lose another superstar as Bale heads back to the Premier League?