Manchester United should consider Gareth Bale transfer wildcard to fix problem position

For a large part of this career it has felt like destiny that Gareth Bale would one day play for Manchester United, but as the clock has ticked the chances have receded.

United wanted to sign Bale when he signed for Real Madrid in 2013 and explored the possibility of bringing him back to the Premier League on at least a couple of occasions while he was in the Spanish capital.

The move never came to fruition, however, and after announcing his departure from Real yesterday it probably says a lot about Bale's current status that Championship side Cardiff are the favourites to sign him.

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That would be a romantic move for the hometown boy, but it also feels like he has more to offer than a year in England's second tier. Bale remains a little underappreciated in this country, despite his incredible achievements.

The way his time in Madrid turned sour is part of the reason for that, but the narrative that this is a player who has already checked out on his career is wide of the mark.

He did well at Tottenham last season and continues to be a clutch performer for his country. If he gets to Wales to the World Cup in their play-off on Sunday then maybe he could yet be a shrewd addition at Old Trafford.

If United were to move for the Welshman this summer then they clearly wouldn't be getting peak Bale, but this is a summer when football director John Murtough has to be creative in the transfer market.

Bale turns 33 in July, but the idea he's past it doesn't stack up. In his loan spell at Tottenham in 2020/21, he scored 11 times in 20 Premier League appearances, of which only 10 were starts. Those goals came at a rate of 1.08 per 90 minutes,