United eye Bale move as Sancho hopes fade

MANCHESTER UNITED are plotting a dramatic move for Real Madrid star Gareth Bale as their hopes fade of signing winger Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. Bale is one of several options on the table, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer determined to bring in a right-sided forward before the transfer window closes next month. If United go for Bale, they are likely to propose a loan which would allow them to try again for Sancho at the end of the season. A move to Old Trafford appeals to Wales star Bale, although he would prefer a longer deal that means he would not be in the same situation at the age of 32 next summer. Bale has been frozen out by Real coach Zinedine Zidane and is keen to leave after Madrid scuppered his transfer to China’s Jiangsu Suning in January by demanding a transfer fee once he had agreed wages of £1million a week. Bale, who moved to Spain from Spurs for £85m in 2013, has two years left on his contract and Madrid have expressed a willingness to pay 50 per cent of his £600,000-a-week salary to help smooth his departure. The scale of the deal, combined with Bale’s age and recent injury record, however, means there is a long way to go before it could become a reality. Having revived their longstanding interest in Bale (right), United are keeping their options open, with Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic, Kingsley Coman of Bayern Munich and Douglas Costa — who was put up for sale by Juventus over the weekend — among the other players under consideration. The Old Trafford hierarchy began exploring other possibilities after accepting it may not be possible to sign Sancho before the transfer deadline on October 5. Although United agreed terms with the 20-year-old and his representatives last week, Dortmund are refusing to budge on their £108m valuation. The player is happy in Germany and unwilling to agitate for a move. United have not given up hope of breaking the deadlock but could have to wait until next summer, when they are likely to have more transfer funds. Such is the dire economic climate in football, it is understood that Solskjaer would have to sell one of his defenders before signing a new left-back. Negotiations are continuing with Roma over the permanent sale of Chris Smalling, who held talks with Solskjaer at Carrington yesterday and did not take part in a TV filming session with the rest of his team-mates. Diogo Dalot, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones are also available as United look to balance the books and firm up interest in Real Madrid’s Sergio Reguilon or Alex Telles of Porto.