13 April 2023 , 08:00
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Gareth Bale to Manchester United was the transfer that was seemingly destined to happen but never took place.
The former Wales international was linked with the Red Devils throughout his career after bursting onto the scene at Tottenham and then making a name for himself as one of the world's best-attacking players at Real Madrid.
Bale made a brief return to the Premier League in 2020 after seven years in the Spanish capital. But the Welshman joined his former club Spurs on loan before finally completing a permanent move to Los Angeles Galaxy where he saw out his career, eventually retiring from football in 2023.
The closest Bale came to Man United, interestingly, was back in March 2019 when the Wales squad were invited to train at the Red Devils' Carrington training complex.
Bale and his international teammates were preparing for a friendly with Trinidad and Tobago before a Euro 2020 qualifying match against Slovakia.
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The Wales team were based in Manchester ahead of the first match at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground.
The winger was at the time strongly linked with a move to United and looked both delighted and very much at home while on the club's training ground.
Mirror Sport revealed at the time that Bale and co. were staying at Hotel Football, which is owned by then Wales boss Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.
Gareth Bale at Manchester United's Carrington training base in 2019 (Man Utd via Getty)Giggs said at the time: "I'm really thankful to United for letting me use the facilities.
"We have a facility in north Wales, which isn't quite ready yet so I jumped at the chance, knowing both the facilities would be good and the excitement it would generate within the squad because training at the ATC is something you don't get to see every day."
Bale's retirement announcement at the age of 33 took the footballing world by surprise back in January, shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup.
Bale, a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid and his nation's most-capped player and record goalscorer, announced his decision on social media.
"After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football," Bale said. "I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love."
He added: "My decision to retire from international football has been by far the hardest of my career.
"How do I describe what being a part of this country and team means to me? How do I articulate the impact it has had on my life? How do I put into words the way I felt every single time I put on that Welsh shirt? My answer is that I couldn't possibly do any of those things justice simply with words.
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"But I know that every person involved in Welsh football feels the magic and is impacted in such a powerful and unique way, so I know you feel what I feel without using any words at all."