Mourinho insists Real team will give huge clue over Bale
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is ready to “fight” for Gareth Bale’s signature if Real Madrid leave the attacker out of the Uefa Super Cup.
Skopje plays hosts to the annual clash between the winners of the Europa League and Champions League tonight, with both sides looking to kick the campaign off with silverware.
Bale is part of the 24-man squad in Macedonia for the match, but speculation continues over the Wales international’s future.
There have been suggestions in Spain that Madrid are willing to part company with the 28-year-old as they move for Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe, giving hope to long-standing admirers United.
Mourinho recently said it would be impossible to bring in Bale, but is now ready to pounce on any softening on their part.
“If he’s playing tonight, well, no I wouldn’t think of that possibility of signing on [Bale],” the United boss said in Macedonia ahead of facing his former club.
“If he is playing it is because he is in the coach’s plans and in the club’s plans and because he also has that ambition to continue in Real Madrid. So I haven’t even thought of the possibility of signing him on our team.
“If he’s not in the club’s
0 Speculation continues to surround Gareth Bale’s long-term future at Real Madrid as Manchester United monitor the situation. plans, if what you are writing right now is true – I am not sure whether it is or not – that the arrival of another player (would) perhaps (mean) Gareth would be on his way out.
“If he is on his way out of Real Madrid, well, I’ll try to be waiting for him on the other side and try to fight with other coaches that would also like to have him on his team.
“But I think that if he plays, it is probably the best confirmation that they’ll keep counting on him during the season.”
Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-mensah is set to join Crystal Palace on a season-longloan.the19-yearold Dutch defender, signed from Ajax in 2014, made his first-team breakthrough under Louis van Gaal and last season played 11 times under Jose Mourinho.
However, Fosu-mensah made just four starts during the 2016/17 season and now looks set to complete a loan move to Frank de Boer’s Palace.
Compatriot Jairo Riedewald, another former Ajax player, has already arrived at Selhurst Park this summer to bolster a defence that no longer has Mamadou Sakho to call upon.
Fosu-mensah, who has a deal at Old Trafford until at least 2020, is set to get valuable first-team football at Palace, although the teenager insists he was not frustrated by a lack of opportunities last term.
“It’s fine because you’re surrounded by great players,” he said. “Every day, in and out, you train with great players. You develop every day with these great players.
“I am young so I try to work on my weaker stuff and to become a better and complete player. I need a bit of experience, things like concentration, touches, communicating on the pitch.”
Fellow United defender Cameron Borthwick-jackson has joined Sky Bet Championship side Leeds United on loan for the 2017-18 season. Cristiano Ronaldo has travelled with Real Madrid for the Uefa Super Cup against former club Manchester United, with Zinedine Zidane saying he is as fit as he was before the summer.
The 32-year-old forward was granted extended leave following his part in Portugal’s Confederations Cup campaign, before appearing at a Spanish court to answer charges relating to his tax returns.
Ronaldo has denied he evaded tax or hid details of his income from the authorities – charges that led the world’s best player to seriously consider a move away from the Bernabeu earlier in the summer.
However, the Portuguese appears set to stay put and, despite only just returning to training, has been included in the 24-man squad taking on former club United in Macedonia.
Ronaldo trained with his team-mates on the eve of the match and could now play a part in Skopje tonight, just days after returning to training.
“There has been a lot of noise, a lot of things happening, but he is relaxed,” Real Madrid head coach Zidane said.
“He is relaxed and what impresses me the most is that physically he is as fit as the day of the (Champions League) final. So how long is that? Two months ago already.
“Really what interests me in the long run, what interests me, him, and everyone else is that – that he is fit. As to the rest, there’s not really much we can do about it. The fact that he is with us, this means a lot because if he is with us, it is because he is ready to play.”