Manchester United will be firm Premier League title favourites next season if they sign Gareth Bale from Real Madrid, according to former Spurs chief Harry Redknapp.

The veteran manager coached the Welshman during his White Hart Lane reign, and is widely considered to be the man who turned the promising left-back into one of the finest wide attackers on the planet.

United have been linked with a swoop for the world’s most expensive player – Real paid £86m for his signature in 2013 – but, as things stand, a switch this summer looks unlikely.

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However, ‘Arry believes that if the North West giants could lure Bale back to England they would be favourites to knock Chelsea off their perch as the kings of the Premier League in 2015/16:

“If he went to United I’d suddenly believe they could win the league,” he is quoted by Metro. “He has everything and can score 20 goals a year for you.

“His first year at Real Madrid was fantastic and although last year didn’t go so well but he is a fantastic talent. If you said to me I could sign one player in the world, well you’d sign [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo or [Luis] Suarez, but after that it would be Gareth.”

However, Redknapp went on to reveal that he hopes Bale stays in Madrid to battle for his future, despite widespread criticism from Los Blancos fans and the recent managerial shift – Rafa Benitez has replaced Carlo Ancelotti:

“I hope he stays at Madrid and makes a go of it,

“It will be interesting to see what happens. They say he hasn’t learned the language and hasn’t moved his whole life over there.

“Few clubs could afford him. Maybe Chelsea would be interested if he decided he wanted to move back to London.”

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