Manchester United will not consider Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale - due to his wage demands.

The Mirror says the Red Devils were given the chance to take Bale on a season-long loan after Zinedine Zidane told the winger he was no longer wanted at the Bernabau.

United were in the market for a world-class signing to make a statement of intent.

But Old Trafford bosses decided against taking up Real's offer to bring the 30-year-old back to the Premier League for the season and agreeing to pay his £500,000-a-week wages due to fears that Bale is injury prone.

United now employ private investigators as well as scouts to look into the background of every potential signing.

And Bale's fitness record – and the fact that he is nicknamed 'The Golfer' by his Bernabeu team-mates – meant the deal went cold.