Is the dream already over for this reported Man United target?

When any record transfer fee is broken in the world of modern day football, it usually indicates that an extreme long-term investment is supposed to be on the cards. That notion however, whilst seemingly making sense for other high profile players in the past, looks like it might not apply in the case of Gareth Bale.

Although his first season in Spain will largely go down as a success in La Liga history, 2014/15 has ultimately been a bit trickier for the former Tottenham Hotspur man. The 25-year-old Welshman may have recorded a decent 13 league goals this campaign, but as is usually the case among the notoriously impatient Bernabeu faithful, such an output has seemingly not been enough for fans of Los Blancos this term.

In experiencing an unwanted goal drought around the mid-point of the season and having to put up with his own fans booing him on several different occasions throughout the year – the famed honeymoon period at Real Madrid seems to have come and gone for Bale as it stands.

So then, with Manchester United going down as one of the many Premier League teams to be linked with acquiring the Welshman ahead of the 2015/16 campaign, will we be seeing Gareth Bale back in the English game sooner rather than later, or is the La Liga dream not yet over for the world’s most expensive player?

Perhaps it could be argued that the Bernabeu no. 11 was never truly a ‘world class’ talent in the first place. His form in the Premier League prior to his Real Madrid move was certainly electrifying to say the least, but as Bale had hardly established himself with that level of reputation for a consistent enough period of time, maybe his recent struggles in the Spanish capital should ultimately come as no surprise.

When the Welshman simply destroyed Inter Milan in the Champions League for Spurs just a few seasons ago, it became clear to everyone involved that Gareth Bale had some real tricks up his sleeve. His turn of pace from one side of the pitch to another was breath-taking, when it came to beating some of Europe’s best defender’s Bale took to the challenge with ease – and as for his pin-point accurate ability to find the bottom corner time and time again – well, words couldn’t really do justice to such a talent at the time.

Even in light of the 25-year-old’s past form in a Tottenham shirt however, there was nonetheless something rather one dimensional about his approach. Yes, Gareth Bale could be unstoppable when charging down the wing with the ball at his feet, but if a ‘Plan B’ was ever required from the £80 million man in another situation, it remained somewhat difficult to imagine the no. 11 applying himself in a more composed style.

As the rest of European football has seemingly clocked onto Bale’s approach these days, the need for a ‘Plan B’ has come thick and fast for the wide-man whilst playing at Real Madrid. A more central role could therefore be offered from his manager if the club truly want to see more from their transfer record breaking man.

Cristiano Ronaldo seemingly takes priority over the Welshman’s preferred position at the Bernabeu though, so unless the Los Blancos hierarchy somehow see fit to end the Portuguese star’s time in Madrid rather abruptly, Gareth Bale will always have to play second fiddle to the former Manchester United trickster whether he likes it or not.

As we all know Ronaldo is a petulant sort of player who is only happy when holding exclusive rights over the spot-light, a move back to the Premier League could ultimately represent the best step forward for the ex-White Hart Lane favourite. The two players simply lack a certain chemistry when they’re both on the same side.

Manchester United could seemingly afford someone of Gareth Bale’s calibre with the amount of money they’ve been splashing around of late – and as Old Trafford would certainly offer the current Madrid man the chance to have a team built around his own individual style – a potential switch to Louis van Gaal’s equally star-studded line-up may be the perfect antidote for the Welshman.

However, in the cold light of day such an outcome ultimately remains unlikely at best. Florentino Perez will most definitely want to keep his prized asset at the Bernabeu for a little while longer – as because Real Madrid have already seen fit to sack Carlo Ancelotti and replace the Italian with Rafa Benitez recently – it seems the Los Blancos president isn’t too keen on admitting he may have made an £80 million mistake when it comes to Gareth Bale.