Manchester United have made another last-minute bid to try and sign Gareth Bale from Real Madrid, as the summer transfer window moves ever closer to shutting down.
Louis Van Gaal has been on the lookout for a potent forward all summer, with the manager espousing on the importance of this Manchester United team having someone with pace.
Bale certainly fits that bill and with goals proving to be hard to come by as well, the Wales international will undoubtedly add more cutting edge.
However, getting the 26-year-old has proved to be next to impossible for Manchester United this summer, with Real Madrid repeatedly saying the former Tottenham forward is not for sale.
That hasn't stopped Manchester United from having another crack, however, with the English Premier League club making a €100million (£73m) bid, according to Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri.
While the transfer figures are high for mere mortals, it would seem next to impossible for Real Madrid to accept that bid, considering they paid Spurs £85m for the services of Bale a couple of summers ago.
The fact that Bale has said quite a few times he wants to stay at Real Madrid is also another dampener in Manchester United's prospects of landing the forward, while it is quite clear that Rafa Benitez sees the Welshman as a central figure in his plans for the season.
Bale scored two goals in Real Madrid's 5-0 win over Real Betis on Saturday, and if Manchester United are to stand even the slightest of chance of convincing Real Madrid to sell, you would think that offer will need to be well over £100m.
Manchester United have that kind of money, but to convince Real and the player himself to make a move will be far from easy.
What does look obvious, though, is that Manchester United need a potent forward up front, someone who can get you consistent goals.
Van Gaal's men looked a little toothless in attack in their 2-1 loss to Swansea City, with Wayne Rooney looking like a shadow of his former self, and while it is still too early to rule out the team improving in front of goal, a world-class forward is something that will definitely take Manchester United from "maybe title contenders" to "definite title contenders", especially if his name is Gareth Bale.
