Jose Mourinho looks like he may have to give up on signing Gareth Bale once and for all after the Real Madrid star was picked to start against Manchester United in the UEFA Super Cup.
The Portuguese coach admitted he would love to bring the Welshman to Old Trafford during Monday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s match in Skopje, Macedonia.
However, he stipulated that he would only move for Bale if he was left on the bench for the Super Cup, claiming that Zinedine Zidane’s line-up would be the biggest indicator as to whether or not he was a realistic signing.
And unfortunately for Mourinho, Zidane has picked Bale to take on United from the start, with the 28-year-old lining up just off the left wing as Cristiano Ronaldo is not fit enough to start the match.
United, meanwhile, have sprung no surprises with their own selection, picking all three of their summer signings from the start: Romelu Lukaku, Victor Lindelof and Nemanja Matic.
Asked about signing Bale on Monday, Mourinho had explained: ‘Well if he’s playing tomorrow, no I wouldn’t think of that, it would be because he’s in the coach’s plans and the club’s plans, because he also has that motivation to continue at Real Madrid.
‘So I haven’t even thought about the possibility.
‘If he is not in the club’s plans, that with the arrival of another player would mean he was on his way out, I will try to be waiting for him on the other side and fight with other coaches that would want him on their team.
‘But if he plays tomorrow, that is the best confirmation that he is still wanted by the team.’
Privately, Zidane was said to be enraged by Mourinho’s comments, which were deemed to be a deliberate attempt to try and get Bale to reconsider his position and status at Real.
When the so-called Special One met Bale in the tunnel during a pre-season encounter between the two sides earlier this summer, he was caught telling the Welshman: ‘How can I sign you if you do not talk.’
The suggestion is that Bale must agitate for move to get the ball rolling, with Mourinho planting a seed after he was also benched for the Champions League final.
But Zidane insisted that he was unconcerned by the remarks in his own press conference, stating that Bale’s fitness – he missed their final pre-season friendly against MLS All-Stars with an ankle problem – is his only concern.
‘The important thing is the player is fine. He’s had no issues in training, and that’s important,’ insisted the French coach on Monday.
‘The end of his season wasn’t easy for him, injured, but I’m happy for him and what’s important is what we do, not what someone else says.’
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