Florentino Perez 'will not' let Manchester United target Gareth Bale leave Real Madrid

Ramon Calderon believes Gareth Bale is unlikely to return to the Premier League because Real Madrid president Florentino Perez sees the former Tottenham hero as one of his protégées.

Recent reports claimed Manchester United want to take advantage of Bale's mounting scrutiny in La Liga and bring back him to England, making him Louis van Gaal's marque signing of the summer.

But former Real Madrid president Calderon believes this is unlikely to happen as Perez will not let him go just two years after breaking the world transfer record to secure his services from Spurs for around £85m (£131m), as that will look like he made a mistake in signing him.

Questioned during an interview with IBTimes UK whether Bale could return to the Premier League, Calderon said: "It will depend on the whims of the president.

"But you have to have in mind that he protects much the players that he signed. He has always defended those he has brought to the club. He doesn't like to admit that he has made a mistake [and selling Bale would look like that].

"He does the same with the players he inherited from us. He didn't like Van Nistelrooy, Robben, Sneijder because we bought them... He wants to show that what he can do nobody can. Indeed, he signed Kaka even though he was injured just to prove he was capable of doing what the other couldn't [as Calderon failed to signed the Brazilian during his spell as club president]."

Recent reports in Spain claimed Perez is confident Bale will be the heir of Cristiano Ronaldo at the La Liga giants and even recently came out to publicly defend the ex-Spurs star after pundits and supporters suggested he should be dropped from manager Carlo Ancelotti's line-up.

Calderon believes Bale has what it takes to thrive at the Santiago Bernabeu but says the huge amount paid to secure his services has put too much pressure on him.

He said: "Florentino has always liked to stand out by doing things nobody else do. He always said that Real Madrid need to sign Ballon D'or [winners] and pay more than the rest of clubs because it is a sign of prestige.

"I don't know whether Bale is worth €100m but his price has been a handicap for him. Breaking a world record and being more expensive that Cristiano Ronaldo has put him under the spotlight. People thought he had to score more goals than Ronaldo and that is impossible. That has been bad for him but I don't think he has been a bad signing. He is a good player although some people had accused him of being selfish."