Manchester United legend advises Bale to snub Mourinho interest

Wales manager Ryan Giggs has advised Gareth Bale to stay at Real Madrid and snub any interest from Manchester United.

Bale has been heavily linked with a move to United in recent years and reports are expected to resurface at the end of the season.

The 28-year-old has endured a miserable season with injuries and is no longer considered an indispensable part of Madrid’s first-team.

With Florentino Perez reportedly plotting wholesale changes, Bale has been tipped as one of many players to be shown the Madrid exit in the summer.

However, Giggs has urged Bale not to give up on playing for Madrid even if it means a blow to his former club’s transfer plans.

“It’s Real Madrid - there are only a handful of clubs who have got that aura,” The Guardian quote Giggs as saying on Thursday. “Of course you would want to stay there. What’s Gareth won, three Champions League titles?

“The proof is in that. When you are at clubs like that, you are always going to win things. Gareth has the ability to score every type of goal and there are similarities with Cristiano Ronaldo. They both started out as wingers and they are now goalscorers.”

Bale scored a hat-trick in Giggs’ first game in charge of Wales in their 6-0 win against China on Friday to overtake Ian Rush’s record (28 goals) as Wales’ all-time leading goalscorer (29).

The Madrid No.11 has scored nine goals in 19 league appearances this season. Surprisingly, no outfielder in Europe’s top five leagues has made more appearances in 2018 than Bale (13).