Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen believes the club should ask Real Madrid for Gareth Bale in exchange for David De Gea.
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is expected to target a new goalkeeper for next season after current first choice Keylor Navas has been at guilty of numerous errors this year.
And Madrid have reportedly set their sights on the Red Devils’ number one once again after a faulty fax machine stopped the La Liga side signing De Gea on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2015.
However, Meulensteen, former right-hand man to Sir Alex Ferguson, has said the quoted £60million shouldn’t be enough to convince his former employers to sell.
Speaking to TalkSport, the 53-year-old said: “You can’t stop the speculation – it won’t go away.
“As a manager you have to say, ‘OK, what is really the case here __with De Gea? Does he want to go? Is he going? What is the best scenario for us?
“The speculation has been there now for three years and Manchester United and Jose Mourinho have to make sure, if it is the case [Real Madrid want him], what is the best outcome for Manchester United?
“For instance, they say ‘Ok, you get De Gea, we want Bale’. There has to be something where Manchester United come out of it even better.”
United have been linked __with a move for Bale since his Tottenham days and, according to former boss David Moyes, the Red Devils attempted to pip Madrid to his signature in 2013, offering £85million.
Reports have emerged again this year linking Bale to a return to the Premier League, with both Manchester United and Chelsea allegedly ready to break the world record transfer fee to bring the forward back to England.