Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale targets for Man Utd and City, says Graham Hunter
Manchester United and Manchester City will look at the possibility of buying Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in the summer, according to Graham Hunter.
There has been much speculation over the future of the two Real Madrid players, especially given the difficult run of form the Spanish giants currently find themselves in, squandering their La Liga lead to Barcelona.
When asked about the possibility of Ronaldo and Bale being team-mates beyond the summer, Spanish football expert Hunter told La Liga Weekly podcast: “Beyond August is a very, very big question. That’s because, one, I think there’s nothing to report now in that neither is (Real Madrid manager Carlo) Ancelotti sacked, nor is Ronaldo sold, nor has Bale decided to leave.
“But there is a very clear opinion among the two Manchester clubs, and I mean City as well as United, that they think they have an opportunity to come and buy Ronaldo.
“Honestly, my opinion is we have to wait and see because I think he (Ronaldo) will be tempted. He will be asked by both Manchester clubs. I think that goes for Bale too.
“It has been a talking point among the Manchester City players for a great part of the last 10 days.”
After a harmonious start, cracks have begun to appear in the relationship of Ronaldo and Bale. This culminated in a bizarre reaction by Ronaldo when Bale scored against Levante on Saturday. The Portugal captain threw his arm in the air in disappointment at his own earlier miss rather than celebrate Bale firing in the rebound.
Hunter explained: “When Bale arrived, on the training ground he won over Cristiano Ronaldo. He gave respect to Bale. Now, (Bale) is working a little bit less, he’s certainly believing that he’s more of a Ronaldo figure in that club, on the training ground.
“If Bale had behaved as he’s done this season when he arrived last season, I think the cracks in that relationship, that marriage of convenience between them, would have become apparent more quickly.”
It is to Madrid’s detriment that the disharmony has extended to results on the pitch, as they lost their grasp on top spot in La Liga for the first time since November.
Barcelona have usurped them just in time for Sunday’s El Clasico, which will go a long way to deciding the champions of Spain come May.