Manchester United keen on signing Real Madrid attacker for £50m

Manchester United are reportedly reluctant to pay more than £50m in order to pursue Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale at the end of the season.

The Wales international has managed just five La Liga outings for Los Blancos this term having suffered multiple injuries in the first half of the season.

Bale most recently missed the club's goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao with a recurrence of his calf problem, and the European champions are said to be planning to offload him next summer.

According to The Mirror, Zinedine Zidane's side may have to half their current £100m valuation for Bale, if they are to do business with United at the end of the campaign.

The Capital outfit have highlighted Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne as a potential candidate to bolster their midfield ranks next summer, but they are highly unlikely to recoup most of the funds from Bale, who has had regular fitness concerns.

Nevertheless, Tottenham Hotspur have the first-refusal option on Bale's contract, which allows them to match any offer from a Premier League club. The former Southampton graduate has managed just 24 league appearances for the Spanish giants since the beginning of the 2016/17 season.