Manchester United face worrying competition for the transfer of Gareth Bale this summer as Bayern Munich line up a potential swap deal for the Real Madrid forward.
According to Don Balon, the Bavarian giants could be prepared to offer David Alaba to Los Blancos as part of an exchange deal, which would undoubtedly be hard for the European champions to turn down.
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Despite Bale’s Champions League final heroics, Zinedine Zidane has only used him sparingly for most of the season just gone, including in the final against Liverpool itself when he came off the bench to score twice and win the game.
The Welshman’s incredible overhead kick showed his quality and has AS linking him with Manchester United, but it may be that Bayern would have some edge in the deal if they could get a player of their own involved.
Alaba, 25, has been a superb performer for Bayern down the years, playing in a variety of different positions to good effect.
Madrid could do with a proven player like the Austrian to provide an option at left-back or defensive midfield, and with Bale not a regular under Zidane it could prove a piece of business to suit all parties involved.
United would undoubtedly be disappointed, however, as Jose Mourinho’s side looks in desperate need of the kind of pace, flair and goal threat Bale would provide.