Real to United: you can have Gareth Bale, but we want David De Gea

Real Madrid have issued Manchester United with an ultimatum, reports the Daily Mirror, with the paper saying that the Spanish giants have declared that Gareth Bale can be theirs if they’re given David De Gea.

Apparently United are increasingly “optimistic of finally signing the Welsh ace” but that was before Real outlined the terms of such a sale.

The Mirror describes Jose Mourinho and United chief executive Ed Woodward as “excited” with the way their courtship of Bale has progressed in recent months but the 28-year-old Welshman may yet elude their clutches if they don’t give their goalkeeper to Real.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Spanish outfit have been linked with De Gea for a number of years and the Mirror says they have decided the time has come to lay their cards on the table.

Whether or not that table will collapse depends on how much Mourinho wants Bale and the Mirror says the Special One is now “in a dilemma”. As much as he wants the Welsh winger, the United gaffer is a huge admirer of De Gea and knows that finding a reliable replacement would be hard.

Meanwhile the Metro says that Phil Jones is “set to be handed a staggering new £150,000-a-week deal” after his impressive start to the season.

The England international has endured a couple of patchy seasons in recent years but the 25-year-old defender is back to his best and has formed a solid partnership with Eric Bailly at the heart of United’s backline.

With Jones’ contract expiring at the end of next season, Mourinho has apparently already made it known to the blocker that he wants him to sign on for another stint at Old Trafford, and Metro says he’ll secure his loyalty with a hefty pay rise.

Jones and United “are hopeful that a deal will be concluded before the January transfer window” to avoid any idle gossip in the more excitable elements of the British media.