Jose Mourinho claims Manchester United were never in for Real Madrid star Gareth Bale this summer
Red Devils boss also '100 per cent' guarantees that goalkeeper David De Gea is staying at Old Trafford
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JOSE MOURINHO has insisted that Manchester United were never in the running for Real Madrid's Gareth Bale this summer.
The 28-year-old Welsh star was rumoured to be keen on a sensational move to Old Trafford.
And the Red Devils were rumoured to be plotting a world-record bid to land the attacker.
However, Mourinho has squashed that speculation and said he was never in the market for the hitman.
Asked whether Bale was ever considered, he replied: "No.
"No, because you have contacts, you have feelings, you understand things, I think it was clear that Bale likes Madrid, likes the challenge, likes the situation.
"He’s in a club that’s in a very good situation now.
"I never felt a desire from him to leave, so why lose time and energy on that? No."
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Mourinho and his United said will come face-to-face with Bale and his Madrid team-mates when the two clubs meet in Santa Clara in the International Champions Cup.
The Portuguese boss also moved to put an end to rumours of goalkeeper David De Gea's departure to the Champions League winners.
When quizzed on the Spaniard's future, he said: "I can guarantee that he's not going this season.
"And my feeling is it will be very difficult for him to go.
"He's a very honest boy, very straight. He was contacted for a long time, the club [Real] was close, then we open [negotiations] because I always have this feeling of when a player has a desire to go, I don't like to stop players to go because in the end you don't get what you expect from them if they want to move and they don't.
"So we opened it and then they decided to close [negotiations] and I don't think the feeling from him [toward Real] is very, very good.
"I see him very happy and focused and working better than ever, so for me, 100 percent, he stays with us."
