Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly pleaded with the club's hierarchy to make a £100m bid for Real Madrid striker Gareth Bale.
The 28-year-old's future at the Bernabeu has come into question in recent weeks as the La Liga side continue to pursue a deal for AS Monaco's in-demand starlet Kylian Mbappe.
Mourinho has previously made public his desire to bring Bale to Old Trafford but on Wednesday appeared to concede defeat, declaring it "game over" for the potential transfer.
According to a report in The Sun, however, Mourinho "privately feels an agreement can still be reached" and has asked United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to attempt a £100m transfer.
Bale is thought to earn around £385,000 a week under his current contract with Madrid but the newspaper claims that he will be offered £500,000 a week to make the move to Manchester.
United have room to manoeuvre with their wage bill, having released Zlatan Ibrahimovic from his £370,000-a-week deal and allowing Wayne Rooney, who was on £300,000 a week, to return to Everton.
Under the terms of Bale's transfer to Madrid in 2013, former side Tottenham Hotspur will have 72 hours to match any transfer offer proposed for him by an English club.
Neil Wilkes
