Gareth Bale has revealed that Manchester United made a bigger financial offer than Real Madrid when he left Tottenham in 2013, but his heart was set on joining the Spanish giants. The Welsh forward, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, disclosed that United's then-manager David Moyes had expressed interest, but Bale had already committed to his dream move to the Bernabéu.

Bale's transfer from Tottenham to Real Madrid was completed for a then-world record fee of £85.3 million ($113.86m). He explained that he had a gentleman's agreement with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy that would allow him to leave if they failed to qualify for the Champions League, which they didn't. Bale emphasized that while United offered more money and even included another player in their proposal, the deal never progressed seriously.

The decision proved pivotal in Bale's career as he went on to win five Champions League titles and three La Ligas with Real Madrid, scoring 106 goals in 258 appearances. His nine-year stint in Spain established him as one of the world's premier wingers before his return to Tottenham on loan in 2020-21 and eventual departure in 2022.