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Manchester United’s pursuit of Gareth Bale has become one of English football’s most hotly-discussed topics since rumours of an Old Trafford switch first surfaced earlier in the season.

Indeed, the Red Devils need a wide-man and the Real Madrid star fits the bill perfectly, boasting incredible athleticism, talismanic firepower and a proven track record in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, however, it appears the European champions aren’t actually that interested in selling their world-record £87million signing this summer.

Despite having to bear the brunt of the supporters’ wrath following a disappointing El Clasico performance in March, Real Madrid have continually denied Bale will be put on the transfer market this summer, and reports from Mirror Football claim the Bernabeu outfit have already rejected a bid from Chelsea.

So with the summer window looming in, perhaps it’s time the Red Devils began considering some viable alternatives to the former Tottenham star. And just in case they’re short on ideas, we’ve listed FIVE…

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PEDRO

Spain international Pedro has been part of the Barcelona tapestry for some time, claiming four La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and 97 goals in 310 appearances with the Catalan giants – in addition to lifting the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European championship with La Roja.

But the 27 year-old’s Nou Camp tenure could come to an abrupt end this summer; there’s only a year remaining on his contract and the winger-forward’s game time has been slashed since the £75million arrival of Luis Suarez at the start of the campaign, going on to make just 13 starts out of a possible 32 in La Liga.

Alexis Sanchez has lit up the Premier League since moving to Arsenal from Barcelona last summer and his former team-mate has the capacity to do the same, blessed with a similar blend of tenacity, technical quality and netting prowess.

According to The Metro, he could be available for around £22million, but unable to sign a replacement until January 2016 due to their transfer embargo, Barcelona may refuse to sell.

MEMPHIS DEPAY

A transfer target Manchester United have already made some headway in signing, reports from the Manchester Evening News this morning claim Memphis Depay has arrived in England to hold talks with the Red Devils.

Much like Gareth Bale, the Netherlands international is a goal-scoring winger often compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, and after a sensational season with PSV is widely expected to leave the Eindhoven outfit this summer.

Indeed, since his nomination for the Best Young Player award at last summer’s World Cup, the 21 year-old has bagged 20 goals in 27 league appearances, firing him to the top of the Eredivisie’s scoring charts and PSV to their first Dutch title since 2008.

He’s a prodigious talent who already has experience working under Louis van Gaal, and the papers believe his price-tag stands at a more than reasonable £25million.

LUCAS MOURA

Manchester United came close to signing Lucas Moura in summer 2013 and would be well-advised to revive their interest in the Brazilian prodigy after an impressive campaign 2014/15 with PSG.

Indeed, the 22 year-old has claimed seven goals and four assists in 25 Ligue 1 appearances this term, whilst averaging the most dribbles per-match, 3.3, of any player in the division.

In addition to the Brazil international’s promising output, it’s his electric pace that particularly stands out. United have lacked a threat behind opposition defences for large periods of the season, but Moura would address that in abundance.

According to a recent report from The Metro, stalled contract talks could force the Ligue 1 champions to cash-in on the winger this summer as they refuse to meet his demands of a £4.3million per-year deal.

The British newspaper also claim PSG value him within the region of £28million.

MARCO REUS

Marco Reus may have signed a contract extension earlier this season, eradicating his miserly £25million release clause, but Borussia Dortmund’s failure to qualify for the Champions League – and the subsequent sacking of manager Jurgen Klopp – could see him leave the Westfalen outfit this summer.

The 25 year-old is undoubtedly one of the most formidable attacking threats in world football, boasting an incredible 37 goals and 27 assists in his last 79 Bundesliga appearances.

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He’s quick, technically sublime and incredibly versatile, capable of playing anywhere across the attacking midfield berth or the front-line, quenching Louis van Gaal’s undying first for ‘multi-functional’ footballers.

Having extended his terms until 2019, however, Dortmund are no under no immediate obligation to sell. Resultantly, they could charge anything up to £50million for the German international this summer.

RAHEEM STERLING

It would go down as one of the most controversial transfers in Premier League history but there are few better prospects in Europe at the minute than Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling.

After all, few attacking midfielders can boast 18 goals and 14 assists in the Premier League at just 20 years of age – not to mention the European Golden Boy award for his role in Liverpool’s surprise title bid last season.

But what impresses me most about the England international is his devotion to development; this season he’s featured in five different positions for the Reds and performed well in all of them, ranging from right wing-back to false nine.

He’s yet another multi-functional footballer Louis van Gaal would love and although some view Sterling as too young to leave Anfield this summer, I’d argue the exact opposite. He’s registered the most goals, chances created per match, successful dribbles per match and second-most assists of any player in a fifth-place Liverpool side.

Impressive stuff, but in addition to all the inevitable controversy of becoming the first player to directly move between Liverpool and Manchester United since Phil Chisnall in 1964, the Red Devils would have to pay £50million – according to The Telegraph.

As much as Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal would love to have Sergio Aguero in his squad, capturing his main rivals’ biggest asset is virtually unthinkable.

But the United coach could put the wheels in motion to facilitate the superstar leaving City by his dealings elsewhere.

There are of course lots of factors at play but if the Red Devils are shrewd in their transfer manoeuvres this summer, their neighbours could come under pressure to part with their star man.

One of Van Gaal’s own trump cards, goalkeeper David De Gea , looks to be top of the shopping list at Real Madrid. A bid from the Spanish giants for the prized shot stopper seems imminent. Much speculation had pointed towards United attempting to use this as leverage to lure Gareth Bale back to the Premiership after his turbulent second season at the Bernabeu.

Talk of Bale leaving seems to have cooled recently, and the Madrid press are suggesting that his team mate Karim Benzema is now the most likely makeweight in any De Gea deal.

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United are expected to be in the market for another striker after Radamel Falcao’s unsuccessful loan ended, Wayne Rooney returned a low goal tally and Robin Van Persie showed signs that his powers are on the wane. Should the Old Trafford outfit opt for, and be successful in acquiring Benzema, his current employers would need to repair a gaping hole in their forward line.

When Real Madrid find such a void in their squad, only a handful of players will do.

Aguero is a ready-made Galactico if ever there was one. He is already a global mega-star, and at 27 is in the prime of his career. He comes with a prolific scoring record, crowd pleasing skills and he even already has the tattoos and haircut.

The Argentine would also have few problems settling in, having spent five years already in Madrid with Atletico. His creativity, industry and comfort at operating anywhere in the final third would make him perfect foil for Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale. Those three as a strike force would be comparable to even the feared trio at Barcelona.

Manchester City, however, are about as far away from a selling club as it is possible to get.

The super-rich Etihad side can be boisterous in the transfer market without having to sell star players and Aguero is no doubt a key component of their plans to reclaim their lost league crown and finally make a sustained assault on the Champions League.

“Kun” may soon grow a little impatient, though.

He has now been in Manchester for four seasons and City have yet to get beyond the second round. He will also be conscious that this summer is likely to be one of transition in the blue half of Manchester and that his next potential transfer will be his last big move.

Should he decide that he wants to leave Eastlands, his employers would find it difficult to stop him, despite their vast financial muscle.

He perfectly fits the profile of Real’s signing policy and Los Merengues will be waiting to pounce at even the slightest hint of unrest, even though they have identified De Gea as the priority during this coming window.

So what of Benzema?

The Frenchman is the same age as Aguero but has already won everything possible in the white of Madrid. Throughout his time at the Bernabeu, Benzema has regularly been linked with the exit door especially when not assured of a starting spot.

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Last season though, the former Lyon man played a key role and there seems little reason for him to want out at present with four years remaining on his contract.

Perhaps a chance to step out of the shadow of Ronaldo and seek a new challenge in the Premier League would be enough to tempt him.

It is unclear if United are even interested in the forward at this stage but if they were to make a move, involving De Gea or otherwise, it could pave the way for Madrid to identify Aguero as their next marquee signing.

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Raymond Domenech has told Hugo Lloris to spurn a move to Manchester United because they are not a bigger club than Tottenham, as reported in The Daily Mail.

The Spurs stopper is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers, but with the North London club failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League, his future is up in the air.

United have been linked with a move for the French national team captain as a potential replacement for David De Gea, who is wanted by European powerhouses Real Madrid.

Despite this, the former France coach Domenech has stated that a move to Old Trafford would not be the right choice.

“I have no decision to take for him, but in my opinion he has to play in Chelsea, Arsenal, or Manchester City, to play in the European Cup,” he said.

“Tottenham is a big club – it is not the biggest. Manchester United qualified for the Champions League, but I can’t see really the difference with Tottenham.

“For me, it’s Chelsea, Arsenal, or Manchester City. Because I think Manchester United is no more a big club, in England, for me. I think like that.

“I think Arsenal will be every time a big club, Chelsea also – City is becoming a big club – but I think United is with Tottenham, with the other clubs. Not one of the biggest clubs, so there’s no difference.

“For me, he’s a great goalkeeper so he needs to be in the best English club, or French, or Italian, or German.”

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Spurs will be desperate to hold onto Lloris ahead of next season, with the White Hart Lane outfit looking to strengthen this summer and have another crack at the top four in 2015-16.

United fans will hope their side does not have to turn to Lloris, as this will mean that De Gea has opted to leave Old Trafford.

Arsenal will look to keep the pace with the teams above them when they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Thursday night, but Gunners fans don’t want Alex Iwobi to keep his place in the starting XI.

With manager Arsene Wenger reverting to the 4-2-3-1 formation in recent weeks having favoured the 3-4-2-1 system earlier in the campaign, the Nigeria international was handed a start on the right-hand side in the 3-3 draw against Liverpool.

However, he didn’t make too much of an impression before being replaced by Danny Welbeck in the 78th minute, and the north London outfit’s faithful are hoping to see a change when they visit their neighbours from the capital.

Arsenal supporters were quick to have their say on the 21-year-old via social media, and while one said “I’m going to be vexed if Iwobi starts tonight”, another said ‘I beg you to drop Iwobi’.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Sam Allardyce’s Everton come into the an FA Cup tie at Anfield on Friday evening on a fairly dismal run of no wins in four.

When the one-time England boss came into the Everton hotseat, he seemed to have turned things around for the Toffees: his side were unbeaten in the first eight games since his announcement as the new boss, and had conceded just two goals in that time. Since then, they’ve conceded two goals in each of their last two games.

That downturn was perhaps inevitable, of course. Not only has it come at the end of the gruelling festive period, but it also shows that there’s a lot of work to do to get the side up to the levels required for a team with top six ambitions at some point in the not-too-distant future. At this stage, seventh place still seems like a possible goal, and thanks to a good start, Allardyce will no longer fear a relegation scrap.

But a terrible start under Ronald Koeman and David Unsworth mean that there’s really only one thing left for Everton to play for this year and that’s the FA Cup. And so all the Everton focus will surely be on Anfield on Friday night as they look to progress to the fourth round, knocking out their bitter city rivals in the process.

Here’s a look at what needs to happen in order to achieve that goal:

Big performance – Idrissa Gueye

If both teams line up at full strength (something which shouldn’t be taken for granted in an FA Cup third round tie, even though this is a derby) then it’s a fairly no-brainer that Everton’s suddenly-leaky defence will have to be back to its early-December levels of solidity.

Rested against Manchester United on New Year’s Day, Idrissa Gueye will likely be key to that.

Liverpool’s attack is one of the best in the country, and has given better defences than Everton’s the run-around so far this season. It will be up to Gueye to protect them and prove why he’s a defensive midfielder who is often mentioned in the same breath as Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante.

His ability to win the ball back and stop Mohamed Salah and co. from getting into their rhythm will be vital for Everton’s chances of progression.

Best Formation – 4-3-3

Sam Allardyce has yet to settle on a formation he feels comfortable with as Everton boss it seems, as he’s played with various back-three formations over the Christmas period as well as playing with a 4-4-2 against Liverpool in the Anfield draw in early December.

Two banks of four sounds like a fairly standard-issue Allardyce tactic against a side like Liverpool, but the last two league games, against Bournemouth and United, have seen the Toffees line up in something of a 4-3-3 formation. That might be the route they take against Liverpool on Friday night.

The fact that they lost both of those games over the new year might suggest that the back three formations have worked better, but the other explanation is that Allardyce – one of the most meticulous managers in the league – has been testing out the system in league games he may well care less about than an FA Cup tie which might present his club with their only chance at glory this season.

With that in mind, a formation which allows Gueye to anchor the midfield with two men alongside him to help out might offer a defensive solidity whilst also giving the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and the returning Yannick Bolasie the chance to wreak havoc on the counter-attack.

Most likely goal threat – Bravery

That counter-attacking potency will be the key for Everton to progress, you feel. There’s nothing like a cup tie to produce open counters and that can be thrilling, but there’s always a worry that such a scenario would play right into Liverpool’s hands.

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Worrying too much about that would be a mistake, though. We know that Jurgen Klopp’s side are weakest at the back, and even if the arrival of Virgil van Dijk does shore up their defence, it’s unlikely to happen overnight. As such, it could be Everton’s bravery on the counter-attack which will be the difference between progression and elimination.

If they can hit Liverpool where it hurts whilst also protecting their defence, Everton have a good chance of progression and their motivation for the cup will grow.

Head of Manchester United’s Academy Nicky Butt has lavished praise on Aliou Traore after the 17-year-old signed a professional contract with the Red Devils.

Traore, who has been compared to a young Paul Pogba, signed a professional deal with Man United having turned 17 on Monday.

The midfielder has been training with the 20-time English champions since last summer, but did not officially join the club as a youth player until the start of December.

The former Paris Saint-Germain youngster will represent Man United’s Under-18 team in the second half of this season with the view to progressing to the Under-23s.

Butt has branded Traore ‘a tremendously gifted young player’, with the club’s former midfielder tipping the Frenchman for a bright future in the game.

Butt told Man United’s official website:

“Aliou is a tremendously gifted young player and we are all delighted to see him sign his first professional contract at Manchester United.

“Aliou will naturally need time to adapt, but he has an exciting future ahead of him and we are all looking forward to seeing his performances for the Under-18s in the second half of this season.”

Another of the club’s outstanding youngsters – Angel Gomes – signed a professional contract with Man United in the latter stages of 2017.

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First-team boss Jose Mourinho has introduced a number of youngsters to the fold during his time at Old Trafford.

Thierry Henry is widely regarded as an Arsenal legend, but he landed in some hot water from fans over the last few days following Alexis Sanchez’s exit.

The Chile international ended speculation surrounding his future by joining Manchester United in a swap deal that involved Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving to the Emirates.

Sanchez’s demeanour in his final few games for Arsenal attracted criticism from the crowds.

However, the majority did not want one of their best players to leave, particularly midway through the window.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Sanchez seemed to suggest that Henry had helped encourage him to join United.

“I remember today, a conversation I had with Henry, a historic Arsenal player, who changed club for the same reason and today is my turn.”

The remark sparked anger among some Arsenal supporters, so much so that Henry had to issue a denial via Twitter.

Sanchez also took to social media to clarify the comments, insisting that the Sky Sports pundit did not push for him to leave.

The 29-year-old added that he hopes to see Henry as Arsenal manager in the future.

The fans have now given their say on the drama, with many defending their club legend.

The last few days have not been the most enjoyable for Arsenal fans, and it has just got worse with the news that Alexandre Lacazette is facing six weeks on the sidelines.

The North London outfit were beaten convincingly by arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday.

Harry Kane’s unstoppable form continued as he scored the only goal of the contest, which has put the Gunners eight points behind the top four.

For a team that boasts plenty of attacking talent on paper, the club’s top scorer (Lacazette) has eight goals to his name.

Compare that to Kane, who has netted 32 in all competitions, and it shows that the Gunners are struggling.

On Tuesday, the club revealed that Lacazette could miss six weeks of action due to a knee injury that required surgery.

A short statement on the club’s official website read:

“The minor procedure was a success and he will now undergo a period of rehabilitation. It is envisaged that he will return to the squad within four to six weeks.”

The Frenchman has started 22 top-flight games this season and has come off the bench in a further four.

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Arsenal fans have been reacting to the injury blow on Twitter.

There could be a potential scramble for the signature of Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld in the summer if these latest reports are anything to go by.

According to The Times, the North London outfit are willing to sell the Belgian due to a dispute over wages.

The publication states that talks over a £110,000-a-week deal  have reached an impasse, with Alderweireld requesting a pay packet worth in the region of £150,000 per week.

This latest report suggests that the club are prepared to let the centre-back leave as this will be the last transfer window where they can get a maximum fee for him.

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Numerous clubs are expected to be linked to the defender in the coming weeks, and one set of fans have already thrown their club into the ring.

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Liverpool supporters think that Alderweireld would slot well into Jurgen Klopp’s defence alongside Virgil van Dijk, who signed for the Reds from Southampton in the summer.

Bristol City threw away another comfortable lead as they slipped up in the race to secure a playoffs spot in the Championship, and City’s fans were not best pleased at the team’s continued inability to hold a lead.Having taken the lead through Famara Diedhiou and Bobby Reid goals within the first 20 minutes, Bristol missed the opportunity to move level on points with fifth placed Fulham as Pierre-Michel Lasogga and then Kemar Roofe brought Leeds level in the game’s final stages.City gaffer Lee Johnson accepted that tactics probably played a part in his side’s capitulation in the final stages, but refused to criticise his players.He said:”We dropped too deep in the second half. I won’t chastise my players and in the end we could have lost it.”We’re still a young group and work in progress – coming to an atmosphere like this will help them learn.”The club’s fans were somewhat less sympathetic towards their players. Here is a selection of their Twitter responses…https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/twitter-report-1.mp4

Like Johnson, fans said that Bristol’s strategy at the end of the game led to their undoing. Lasogga’s goal came from a cross and fans thought their side sat back too deep and narrow in the second half.