Manchester United target Gareth Bale: Dwight Yorke urges Louis van Gaal not to give up on transfer

Ex-Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has urged his former club to sign Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, insisting the Welshman is exactly what Louis van Gaal's side need.

United will return to the Champions League for the 2015-16 season providing they come through their play-off game unscathed and Van Gaal has been linked with a number of established world-class stars to bolster his squad.

On 21 June, Spanish radio station Cadena Cope reported the Premier League side will enter talks with Real Madrid to sign Sergio Ramos, with BBC Sport since adding the club are very interested in luring Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich.

The club remain heavily linked with ex-Tottenham Hotspur star Bale, though, with Spanish daily AS recently claiming United have enquired into his availability since the 2014-15 season ended.

And Yorke, who won the Treble win United in 1999, believes Bale's power makes him the ideal addition ahead of the new season.

"I would get Gareth Bale in, that's what United need. A player who will just take the ball and run," Yorke told The Sun.

"He's British, he's exciting, he's quick, fast, he goes past people and that will lift everyone going forward. That would excite everybody. And he will be loved here [at Man United], he will be far more appreciated because the people here know what to expect.

"The Spanish are hard people, they are used to the likes of Romario and Ronaldo — the dribblers with the silky skills.

"In all fairness, Bale is not silky — he is a powerhouse with great pace and that's best for England.

"When he is in full flow, he is one of the best in the world. That's why Madrid paid all the money for him. If I was signing one player for United this summer, it would be him."