Gareth Bale to Manchester United: Wales international insists he is not leaving Real Madrid and rejects transfer rumours
Bale is ready to assert himself as one of Real's key players under new manager Rafael Benitez
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Your support makes all the difference.Gareth Bale has insisted he will not be joining Manchester United this summer as he is determined to fight for his future at Real Madrid under new manager Rafael Benitez.
The former Liverpool manager left Napoli last week and was confirmed as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement at Real on Tuesday night. Benitez has been set the task of wrestling the La Liga title back from great rivals Barcelona, with Real playing second fiddle to the Catalan side who will attempt to seal the treble later tonight when they take on Juventus in the Champions League final.
Despite heading in a crucial second goal in the European Cup final last season to help Real win the famous ‘Decima', Bale has found himself under huge pressure to perform at the Santiago Bernabeu largely due to his world record transfer fee when the Spanish club paid £86m to sign him from Tottenham two years ago.
Fans have booed and jeered him at times while an individual was seen attacking his car as he left the Bernabeu after a match, and it was thought that United could launch a move for Bale in the hope that he would favour a move closer to home and his family.
However, Bale has made it perfectly clear that he is not done in Spain by a long short, and has set his sights on becoming a key figure under Benitez and “winning more trophies”.
“Of course, yes,” Bale told The Sun when asked if he would still be in the Spanish capital next season. “I’m a Real Madrid player and I’ll carry on as normal.
“I am enjoying it and hopefully I can continue to. I feel settled. I’m looking forward now to playing and winning more trophies.
“My goal is to keep improving, performing and to win as many titles as I can.”
United’s addition to Memphis Depay, who will join the club later this month for around £23m, gives them an exciting option on the left flank, but Bale could have been deployed in a central role similar to the one he excelled in at Spurs.
The problem at Madrid is that any player among the squad has to play second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo given his incredible scoring record since his arrival from United in 2009, and the Portuguese has shown signs of his own frustrations towards Bale when the Welshman has tried to take the ball on himself in search of a goal rather than give it to Ronaldo.
United has been linked with a giant £110m double bid for Bale and his Real team-mate Raphael Varane earlier this week, but reports in Spain claim it was immediately rejected.
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