Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has conceded defeat in his pursuit of Gareth Bale, declaring it "game over".
The Real Madrid attacker was believed to be seeking a move away from the Bernabeu amid rumours of AS Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe being signed and taking his place in the team.
However, Mourinho - who previously said he would "fight" for Bale's services - claimed after Real's win over United in the UEFA Super Cup that all the signs pointed to the Welshman staying put in the Spanish capital.
When asked by BT Sport whether he was still pursuing Bale, Mourinho replied: "Clearly the club want him, the manager wants him and he wants the club. Clearly game over. I think everyone knows he is going to stay."
The Red Devils succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Los Blancos in Skopje, goals from Casemiro and Isco ensuring that Romelu Lukaku's strike just after the hour would be no more than a consolation.
Giuseppe Labellarte
