Jose Mourinho jokingly says to Gareth Bale 'I can't buy you because you don't talk to me' in tunnel before Man United's friendly with Real Madrid

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This is the moment Jose Mourinho mischievously teases Gareth Bale in the build-up to Sunday's friendly between Manchester United and Real Madrid.

It's an open secret that the Manchester United manager has made sure Bale is aware this summer that if he wanted to leave Spain there would be a place for him at Old Trafford.

And Spanish television appeared to confirm exactly that when it picked up Mourinho's comments at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Sunday night as Real Madrid got ready to face United in the International Champions Cup.

Jose Mourinho shook hands and hugged Gareth Bale in the tunnel before the pre-season game

Mourinho shared a joke with Bale, saying: 'I can't buy you because you don't talk to me'

Mourinho is waiting at the mouth of the tunnel where he greets various Real Madrid players he coached during his time at the club. When Bale passes he embraces the £89million man and appears to say: 'I can't buy you because you don't talk to me'.

Real Madrid will not be racing to report their former coach for attempted tapping-up; they have turned making advances to players at other clubs into art-form over the years and they are well aware that Bale has a huge market in England and they could sell him to a Premier League club on Tuesday if all sides wanted the deal to happen.

They also know that the 28-year-old is loving his stay in Spain and have said many times that he has no intention of moving to Old Trafford even though he would become the cornerstone of Mourinho's team.

The Wales international would fill the boots of one of his heroes, Ryan Giggs, if he went to United and he would be adored by the same supporters who adored his current Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

After embracing each other, Bale prepares to make his way out on to the pitch in California 

The Wales star laughed as he walked away from the former Chelsea manager in the tunnel

At Real, things have always been much more difficult with the notoriously fickle Madrid supporters never completely taking to him despite his massive contribution to one La Liga, two Spanish Cups, three Champions Leagues and two World Club Cups won during the last four years.

But in spite of that he is happy to have established himself as British football's most successful export ever and is determined to stay at the club and honour his contract which runs until 2022.

This season will be a challenging one for all three of Real Madrid's famous BBC forward line because the club are hell-bent on not missing out on Monaco's France international Kylian Mbappe.

The winger is eager to stay at Madrid and honour his contract with the European giants

Bale played the first 45 minutes as Real suffered defeat in Santa Clara on Sunday night

The 18-year-old has told Real Madrid that he will not join them this season because he needs to play every week and does not believe that would happen because of Bale, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo.

Madrid could yet tie the forward to an agreement that would see him move to Madrid at the start of the 2018-19 season and if that happens Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo will be under pressure not to be the forward pushed out to make way for Mbappe.

Ronaldo is yet to comment on the A Bola front page in June that claimed he wanted to never play for the club again because of the way he was being treated by the Spanish tax authorities.

It is understood he has since calmed down and will be back to play against Manchester United in the UEFA Super Cup on August 8.

United goalkeeper Sergio Romero attempts to clear the danger with Bale lurking behind him

Mourinho's men beat Real Madrid 2-1 on penalties on Sunday after drawing 1-1 over 90 minutes

Benzema has always been a firm favourite of president Florentino Perez and coach Zinedine Zidane, and this year he becomes one of the club captains. However, he will need a strong season in Spain in order to not be considered the weakest link.

And Bale must try to put the injury problems that haunted him last season behind him. It has been pointed out various times this summer by Spanish media that he has only played 56 per cent of possible minutes because of various injuries suffered since he joined the club in 2013.

If he were to be seen as the odd man out at Madrid at the end of the coming season Mourinho would welcome him in Manchester. That much seemed to be very clear on Sunday in Santa Clara.