Gareth Bale 'rejected move to Manchester United, despite bigger offer'

Gareth Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett has revealed that the Welshman turned down a move to Manchester United last year, despite the Red Devils offering more money than Real Madrid.

After a long-running transfer saga, the 25-year-old eventually moved to the Bernabeu from Tottenham Hotspur for a world-record fee of around £85m in September 2013.

United were rumoured to be potential suitors for the Welshman and it has now been revealed that the former Premier League champions stumped up more cash than their Spanish rivals.

In an interview with AS, Barnett said: "He always wanted to play for Madrid. He could have gone to United and other clubs, but he wanted Madrid.

When asked if United had offered more money, Barnett replied: "Not much more, but more."

Bale, who also attracted interest from Barcelona, played a pivotal role in Madrid's Copa del Rey and Champions League triumphs during his first season at the club.