Gareth Bale Exposes the Shocking Truth Behind His Rejection of Manchester United's World Record Offer
Gareth Bale has revealed he never had any intention of joining Manchester United during the summer of 2013, despite engaging in discussions with then-manager David Moyes.
At that point, Bale had clearly outgrown his role at Tottenham Hotspur, particularly after the club narrowly missed Champions League qualification by just one point—finishing frustratingly behind north London rivals Arsenal. However, Real Madrid wasn't the only club showing interest, as they ultimately secured a $133 million (£85 million, €100 million) deal that slightly exceeded what they had paid for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.
Manchester United, coming off Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement and looking to provide replacement manager Moyes with marquee signings to launch the new chapter, actually made a higher offer than Real Madrid.
While this has been a widely known fact for years, Bale himself confirmed it directly during his appearance on the recent Stick to Football episode.
"I did have conversations with United, yes. They actually offered more money than Real Madrid," the Welsh star confirmed.
When questioned whether he would have ever joined United that summer, Bale simply answered, "No."
A 'Gentleman's Agreement' With Tottenham
A 'Gentleman's Agreement' With Tottenham
Show host and Manchester United icon Gary Neville brought up the well-known story from July 17, 2013, when United's new executive Ed Woodward left the club's Australian preseason tour to handle what was termed "urgent transfer business." United were also actively pursuing Barcelona's Cesc Fàbregas at the time, but neither the Spanish midfielder nor Bale ended up at Old Trafford.
"I had discussions with David Moyes. I didn't talk directly [with Ed Woodward], though perhaps my representative did. But my desire was always to join Madrid," Bale disclosed.
Beyond his personal preference for a different destination, an arrangement with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would have prevented any move within England's top flight.
"I had an arrangement with Daniel Levy, essentially a gentleman's agreement, since he was reluctant to sell me to a competitor—you don't want to make another team stronger," Bale explained.
"So if a club approached [for my services] from Spain, Italy, Germany, or elsewhere, I could potentially make that move. If we failed to secure Champions League qualification, which we did, I would then be free to leave."
Bale Flourished As Man Utd Floundered
Bale Flourished As Man Utd Floundered
United ultimately acquired Marouane Fellaini from Everton in the final days of the transfer window, spending more ($42.9 million, £27.5 million) than required after letting a cheaper release clause lapse in hopes of easier negotiations—a miscalculation that backfired.
However, the Belgian midfielder, who unjustly became a target for supporter criticism for years, was the sole addition to an aging squad that desperately needed significant reinforcement. This led to a seventh-place Premier League campaign, marking the club's poorest showing in the Premier League era at that time.
Bale, conversely, achieved tremendous success with Real Madrid across eight seasons. In his debut campaign, he netted the match-winner in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona and scored the crucial extra-time goal in the Champions League final victory over Atlético Madrid.
While his frequent injuries frustrated supporters and Bale found himself in ongoing conflicts with Spanish media for not engaging on their preferred terms, his on-field achievements were remarkable, recording 176 goals and assists across 258 appearances and capturing five Champions League titles among his 16 total honors.