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This article is part of Football FanCast's Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers...

Speaking to talkSPORT, former England international Danny Mills has questioned why Gareth Bale would want to join Manchester United this summer amid reports that the forward could be leaving Real Madrid.

What did he say?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Bale could be on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu, and Zinedine Zidane admitted that the club were now looking to move him on.

As speculation intensifies as to where Bale - valued at £54m by Transfermarkt - could be playing next, Mills dismissed claims that United could finally move for their long-term target.

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He said: "People keep saying he’s got to come back to the Premier League and win something here, and then they’re saying he should sign for Manchester United.

"How long is this contract he’s going to sign? Eight years? When are Manchester United going to win the Champions League or Premier League? It’s not going to be within the next three years is it.

"He’s not going to Liverpool or Manchester City, Chelsea can’t sign anybody, he’s certainly not going to go to Tottenham or Arsenal for that sort of money. So he’s left with Manchester United, and they are not going to win something in the next three seasons that is significant enough for Gareth Bale."

Road to redemption

Whilst it is undeniable that Bale's recent successes at Madrid will surely have given him the appetite to continue to win trophies over the rest of his career, the fall-out with the La Liga giants could make him completely re-evaluate his situation.

Are trophies the be all and end all for Bale and his legacy? A move to Manchester United would give him the opportunity to return to the league that he took by storm with Spurs, and would allow him the chance to be the 'leader' of the side.

For too long, Bale had to live in the shadows of Cristiano Ronaldo, and when the Portuguese star left for Juventus, injuries and other factors contributed to the winger being side-lined from the action.

Zidane's latest comments that Bale refused to play in a pre-season friendly against Bayern simply adds fuel to the fire that the Wales international is a mercenary.

Joining United would be the first step on his road to redemption and to potentially silencing the doubters, and really stick one to the Madrid hierarchy for seemingly forcing him out of the club.