For the legendary striker, MU made a world-record bid surpassing even Real Madrid

Gareth Bale discloses that Manchester United submitted a more lucrative proposal than Real Madrid during the 2013 transfer, yet an informal pact solidified his decision to join the Spanish giants.

On the podcast Stick to Football, Gareth Bale stunned English football fans by revealing details about the negotiations to join Manchester United 13 years ago. At that time, following an explosive season with 26 goals for Tottenham, Bale was the most sought-after player on the planet.

The former Welsh star confirmed that Manchester United, under manager David Moyes, was genuinely determined to make him the new icon of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. To realize this, the Red Devils tabled an unimaginable figure in negotiations.

"The reality is Manchester United offered more money than Real Madrid. They proposed a larger sum plus another player as part of the deal", Bale shared with Gary Neville. However, despite a financial effort exceeding Real's then-record £86 million fee, Man Utd still received a rejection from the superstar.

The reason for Man Utd's failure lay not only in Bale's determination but also in the strategy of Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy. Bale revealed he had a "gentleman's agreement" with Levy: if Spurs failed to secure a Champions Leaguespot, he would be allowed to leave, but with the strict condition of not joining a direct rival in the Premier League.

Bale explained: “I was determined to go to Madrid. Daniel Levy did not want to sell me to another Premier League club and strengthen a competitor. So, if an offer came from Spain or Italy, I would go”.

This informal agreement blocked any chance for the Red Devils, despite their readiness to break the bank for his signature. As for Bale, his heart was already set on the Bernabéu: “I didn't even reach the stage ofsalary negotiations with Man Utd. My heart was only for Real Madrid”.

Missing out on Gareth Bale marked the start of a "disastrous" summer for Manchester United in 2013. Besides Bale, the Old Trafford side also failed to sign a host of major names like Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, and Thiago Alcantara. At the end of that transfer window, the only signing David Moyes secured was Marouane Fellaini at the last minute.

Looking back, Bale believes he made the right choice by winning as many as 5 Champions League titles with Real Madrid. Conversely, the failure in this record-breaking deal contributed to the collapse of David Moyes' reign at Man Utd in less than a full season. The story of Gareth Bale remains one of the biggest "what if" questions: "What would have happened if the Red Devils had secured the Welsh superstar?".