Real Madrid are confident of keeping hold of Gareth Bale, despite fresh interest from Manchester United.

The Sun says the Welsh superstar, 27, currently earns £300,000-a-week and is the club's second highest earner behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

But Real president Florentino Perez wants to give Bale a huge wage hike which will bring him on-par with the Portuguese ace – and is willing to set his release clause at £500million.

With such astronomical sums involved, the deal is set to take a number of months to thrash out, but Perez is keen to make Bale his flagship star.

Despite interest from United, he is reportedly happy in Spain and has no desire to move back to England.