Dwight Yorke has told Sports Mole that he has an element of sympathy for Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez.
Tottenham Hotspur attacker Bale is believed to want a move to Real Madrid, while the same club, as well as Arsenal, are thought to be preferred destinations for Liverpool striker Suarez. Both teams have so far insisted that neither of their players are for sale though.
However, Yorke, who was in a similar situation back in 1999 when Manchester United wanted to sign him from Aston Villa, has admitted that he fully understands what the duo are going from.
"You're flattered – the size of the club and Sir Alex Ferguson wants you – that is the ultimate. I was approaching my 27th birthday and so I knew that after 10 years at Villa I couldn't achieve any more," said Yorke of United's interest. "I needed a fresh challenge to bring even more out of me.
"Now that I've retired, I have an even clearer picture. You only have a limited time in the game to really make your mark. There is only a five to six-year window where you can be at your very best and you need to capitalise on that with the best teams. I can see it from their point of view.
"If you wait another year or two, the chance may very well have gone. You can't turn the clock back, that is the trouble. I understand fully where they are coming from because of how it works and what it means to them. When you get to age of 30 or 32, you're no longer spoken of because there is a new generation coming through."
Yorke, now a Sky Sports pundit, went on to add that it would be best for all concerned if both players were allowed to depart.
"These players do seem determined to leave – Suarez has made that very, very clear. It's extremely difficult to keep hold of players that want to go, that is the way that football has gone over the last five to 10 years. I just can't see him sticking around because he won't perform to the same level that he did last season," he said.
"If things aren't going well, the crowd might start to get on his back because they can turn very quickly. It's a very tricky situation.
"Bale on the other hand – we are talking about an expensive player potentially going to a huge club. When you have a player that has their mind set on other clubs – you've got to let them go. Unfortunately that is just the nature of the beast. Once they've spoken out publicly, that's it. You're losing them, literally. It's very unlikely that they are going to be at the level that you expect."
You can read our United season preview with Yorke here.
Sky kicks off its biggest ever Premier League season with live coverage of Swansea v Man Utd on Sky Sports 1, Sky 2 and Pick TV on August 17.
Liam Apicella
