The icon in question once again returned to Tottenham for a brief spell.
Gareth Bale could have been tearing it down in the Premier League in his prime with Manchester United, but it was a behind-the-scenes agreement with Daniel Levy that prevented the Southampton academy graduate from doing so, despite the fact that Manchester United offered more money for the Welshman than Real Madrid for his signing.
Bale is one of those players who have inspired a generation at Tottenham, and everything that he has achieved at Real Madrid just adds to the pride that the supporters hold him with. But it could have been different…
Bale speaks on how close he came to signing for United
The Welshman was maybe the most sought-after player in Europe during his time at the then White Hart Lane. It was his remarkable performance in the 2012-14 campaign, where he scored 26 goals and won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, that turned heads.
But speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Bale confirmed that he held discussions with Man United, including speaking to then-United manager David Moyes, who was quite eager to sign him at Old Trafford after Alex Ferguson’s retirement at M16.
He went on to admit that David Moyes & Co. were serious about securing his signatures and even tabled a higher bid than Madrid. But despite that big financial offer, Bale admitted that he never seriously considered moving to United.
Gareth Bale went on to explain how he had a gentleman’s agreement with then-Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy which blocked him from moving to a straight domestic rival.
The agreement also meant that Tottenham would allow him to leave if they didn’t qualify for the Champions League but only to a team outside of the English top tier.
He said: (via. Stick to Football podcast)
“I spoke with David Moyes. Not [Ed Woodward], maybe my agent did,” Bale revealed.
“My heart was set on Madrid. I had something in place with Daniel Levy, maybe more of a gentleman’s agreement, because he didn’t want to sell me to a rival.
So if a team did come in from Spain, Italy or wherever, I could potentially go because if we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, which we didn’t, I was then able to go there. We had that gentleman’s agreement, even though he made it very tough.”
Bale had a successful time at Madrid
Going into the 2013 summer, Tottenham finished fifth and missed out on the Champions League, and these conditions meant that he completed a then world-record transfer to Real Madrid for a massive £86m as he began what ended up being a hugely successful spell in Spain.
He went on to win a lot of silverware during his time at Madrid, including five Champions League titles. And during his time donning that Madrid badge, he played some of the most memorable moments that are etched in the minds of a lot of football supporters. And while United came close to signing him, the fact that he honoured his agreement with Levy speaks volumes about the man that he is off the field as well.