Gareth Bale to Manchester United: Louis van Gaal could offload Robin van Persie and Angel Di Maria to sign Real Madrid superstar

Van Persie and Di Maria both face uncertain futures at Old Trafford after below-par seasons

Gareth Bale, Robin van Persie and Angel Di Maria (Getty Images)

Manchester United could sell two of their star players to make way for a summer move for Gareth Bale as reports linking the Real Madrid record signing with a Premier League return refuse to go away.

Bale has come under gorwing criticism this season despite scoring the winning goal in last season’s Champions League final, effectively sealing La Decima for the Spanish greats. But his second season in Madrid has not been as productive, and with Barcelona clear at the top of La Liga, the Real fans are growing restless with the team’s perceived failures.

That looks almost certain to end Carlo Ancelotti’s reign at Real, with Wednesday’s Champions League exit at the hands of Juventus, but it appears that Bale could also be the victim of a season of underachieving.

According to The Mirror, United will follow up their interest with a huge offer for Bale, but not before they sell striker Robin van Persie and current club record signing Angel Di Maria – who cost the club a hefty £59.7m just last summer.

Bale's future at Real remains uncertain (Getty Images)

Van Persie has had to endure another season of injury troubles similar to those that he experienced at Arsenal, and has been in and out of the first team under manager Louis van Gaal. Van Persie was left disillusioned following the surprise retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. The appointment of Van Gaal, who worked with Van Persie during their time together with the Netherlands national team, helped Van Persie settle down once again, but the United fans have not taken to the striker as was initially expected and he could be on his way out of the club in the summer.

Di Maria is another who not only struggled this season, but lost his place in the starting line-up. His arrival at Old Trafford from Real last season was greeted with endless optimism among United supporters, but a burglary at his Cheshire home appeared to rattle the Argentinian and he went through a run of poor form that included a brainless red card in the FA Cup defeat to Arsenal for grabbing referee Michael Oliver.

Van Persie has suffered an injury-hit season (AFP)

If the pair do indeed leave the club this summer, Van Gaal will see £500,000 shifted off his weekly wage bill, and the club have already revealed that they have the funds to launch a move for Bale should they wish to do so even though they have agreed a reported £23m deal to sign Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven.

Di Maria lost his place in the United starting line-up (Getty Images)

The news comes just a day after The Sunday Express journalist John Richardson appeared to confirm that a move for Bale was “almost a done deal” on the club’s official TV channel.