"United and Madrid were the two. I spoke with David Moyes - I didn't speak to Ed Woodward, maybe my agent did, I don't know. But my heart was set on Madrid anyway. I had something in place with Daniel Levy, more of a gentleman's agreement. He didn't want to sell me to a rival, but if a team did come in from Spain, Italy, Germany, wherever it may be...I could potentially go if we didn't qualify for the Champions League, which we didn't."
"He made it very tough, like he does, but he stayed true to his word. I didn't go down the wages route with United. It didn't go that far. They offered more money to buy me and [another] player, but it [didn't matter]."
In 2013, Gareth Bale had transfer offers from both Manchester United and Real Madrid. While United, under new manager David Moyes, made a competitive offer, Bale's heart was set on Madrid. Additionally, Bale had a gentleman's agreement with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy that prevented him from joining rival clubs unless Spurs failed to qualify for the Champions League, which they didn't that season. Bale ultimately joined Real Madrid for a then-world record transfer fee of 100.8 million pounds. Bale clarified that the decision never came down to wages, as United offered substantial financial incentives, but his personal preference and commitment to his agreement with Levy determined his choice.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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