Bernabéu Trophy beckoning Bale

It has been almost three months since Real Madrid last trotted out at the Bernabéu. On that occasion, 23rd May,Gareth Bale watched on from the bench for the full 90 minutes as his teammates closed out the club's league campaign against Getafe. 

This Tuesday, 18th August, the Welshman will return to the 'Los Blancos' bastion to make his debut in the Santiago Bernabéu Trophy. The ideal springboard for Bale to set about proving his worth again and silencing the doubters that have emerged over the course of his first two years at the club. 

In 2013, Bale's signing came a few days too late for the legendary summer dress rehearsal, when the game was billed as a Raúl González testimonial. Meanwhile, last year the club's pre-season schedule was so packed that they couldn't find space for the tournament, meaning it wasn't staged for the first time in 36 years.

Bale is raring to pull on his boots again and to show that he has what it takes to be the team's fulcrum in attack. He is still getting used to Rafa Benítez's new system, in which he enjoys more freedom to roam, get involved in the build-up and drift into the box - the idea being to play to his strengths and enable him to be more prolific. For that to happen, however, the number 11 knows he needs to forge a better connection with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. He believes he is up to the task.

Real Madrid transfer news: 3 in, 4 out as De Gea to join from Man Utd, Arsenal target to replace Liverpool target & more

Real Madrid transfer news sees three arrivals as quartet sold.

In today’s Real Madrid transfer news, it looks like four players could be heading out of the Bernabeu before the end of the summer, with three new additions coming in, though Karim Benzema seems set to STAY in the Spanish capital.

Read on to see the changes expected to be made by Rafael Benitez in the final weeks of the transfer window, plus how the new-look line up could look in an awesome 4-4-2 diamond formation…

Out – Isco

Linked with Juventus and other top clubs, it has emerged today that Spanish playmaker Isco can leave the club for £28m this summer, with Gareth Bale now set to move centrally.

In – William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon)

Coming in in defensive midfield should be Sporting Lisbon starlet and Arsenal target William Carvalho, who is one of the finest young players in Europe in his position.

Eight transfers set to cost £50m or MORE this summer: De Bruyne, Pogba plus Man Utd, Liverpool & Chelsea targets

Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Pedro and Gareth Bale Rumours

 

Manchester United are seemingly closing in on the capture of Barcelona forward Pedro, who is expected to head to Old Traffordin the coming days.

That’s according to Spanish newspaper Sport, which stated the 28-year-old will arrive in Manchester just after the club kick off their 2015/16 campaign against Tottenham Hotspur—via Footie Writer:

Plus, family friend and president of the star’s first club Jaime Lorenzo told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser that Pedro has bid farewell to his family as he prepares to start life in England—via Pete Jenson ofMailOnline:

“The player was here working at a soccer school a few weeks back and his friends already know he is going. And the other day I saw Pedro’s mum in a furniture shop and she told me that he is going to England. I believe it's a good challenge for him and it means he will get more playing time.”

While encouraging news for United fans, it also likely means the end of the road for Angel Di Maria at Old Trafford.

The Argentine signed for a club-record fee this time last year but failed to impress with a string of below-par performances in the 2014/15 campaign.

Still, with Di Maria seemingly on the way to PSG for £45 million, via the Daily Telegraph, United now have the funds to bring in Pedro and still have change to invest in another top player.

It’s where Pedro fits into United’s setup that’s troubling, though. Louis Van Gaal will likely play Wayne Rooney and Memphis Depay as the front two from the start, which could restrict Pedro to a wide role or a place on the bench.

Plus, if United’s next rumoured target makes the switch to Old Trafford, playing time could be even more scarce for the Spaniard.

Gareth Bale

Here we go again—more rumours on Real Madrid star Gareth Bale packing his bags and returning to England.

This time, though, it’s not Manchester United that want the winger in red, but new kit sponsor Adidas.

According to John Richardson of the Daily Express, the Red Devils haven’t given up on landing Bale due to Adidas’ desire to bring him to Old Trafford for marketing purposes. No, seriously.

Richardson wrote that the Welshman would set United back a world-record transfer fee—believed to be over £86 million—but it hasn’t deterred executive vice chairman Ed Woodward.

That’s because the sports company are pumping £750 million into OldTrafford over the next 10 years to be on the famous kit, making the staggering transfer fee appear pocket change.

Plus, the Red Devils have David De Gea to use as bait in their pursuit of Bale, and could well opt to table a player-plus-cash bid.

Still, it all seems rather ridiculous—Real Madrid being sponsored by Adidas until 2020 is one of many reasons why this is something of a head-scratching tale.

Should United land Pedro, their attacking line would be all but sorted. Instead, United need to focus on their shaky defence.

However, rumoured long-term target Nicolas Otamendi is apparently not on the club’s wish list—per James Robson of Manchester Evening News:

Plus, the Sergio Ramos transfer saga is forever going against United, so Van Gaal needs to turn his attention elsewhere to land the perfect anchor in his defensive line.

The club will be bringing a centre-back in to steady the ship as it’s seemingly a necessity rather than a luxury, while any more attacking transfers after Pedro are unlikely.