Just 15 days ago, Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho shot down the idea of acquiring Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale, saying that the Welshman was never a transfer target. Five days later, Bale’s agent also dismissed the transfer rumor stories. Today however, Mourinho admitted, if the opportunity actually presented itself, just how much he would enjoy having the Galactico on his side.
With transfer rumors swirling about Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe, and Madrid’s willingness to break the bank in order to acquire him, the long term future of Gareth Bale at the Bernabeu has been put in doubt.
Mourinho told the press conference ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Super Cup between the two teams in Skopje, Macedonia:
“Well if {Bale is} playing tomorrow, no I wouldn’t think of that, it’s because he’s in the coach’s plans and the club’s plans, because he also has that motivation to continue at Real Madrid. So I haven’t even thought about the possibility. If he is not in the club’s plans, that, with the arrival of another player, would mean he was on his way out.”
“I will try to be waiting for him on the other side and fight with other coaches that would want him on their team, but if he plays, that is the best confirmation that he is wanted by the team.”
Just this past weekend, Ian Rush, the leading scorer in both Wales and Liverpool history, said that he believes Bale should stay put with Real, and not move to Manchester. It’s uncertain whether or not Bale will start in the Super Cup tomorrow, or even how much he will really play. He picked up a knock in training for Los Blancos’ final preseason exhibition tune-up, limping off training in Chicago before the MLS All-Star Game. He did go on to play against the MLS All-Stars last Wednesday night, coming on in the 60′.
Both Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, who did not play a minute of Real Madrid preseason, were named to the Super Cup squad, but Manager Zinedine Zidane refused to reveal whether or not the duo will feature tomorrow night. He did say that Gareth Bale was match fit though.
“I think what’s important is that the player is feeling well. On top of that, he’s had a lot of continuous training sessions with us and that’s what is the most important,” Zidane told his prematch news conference.
“At the end of last season it wasn’t easy for him, he was almost out for four months through injury but now he is very well, very concentrated, he trains with the team. What interests me and what is important for us is not what the coach [Mourinho] said, it’s what we are going to do tomorrow.”
Zidane also addressed the comments Ronaldo made over the weekend that re-invited speculation that CR7 wants to move back to Man United.
“That is all…It’s the same thing with Ronaldo, we’ve also had stories there. People seem to want to blow a story up beyond proportion. We’re concentrated in what we’re doing.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV.
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