Perfect fit Gareth Bale will turn Manchester United into serious title contenders, says Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes has urged Louis van Gaal to sign Real Madrid's Gareth Bale to turn Manchester United into title contenders next season.

The Wales international joined the Spanish capital club for a world record fee from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013. This season, the 25-year-old has struggled to make any impact and a string of poor performances has seen Bale being blamed for Real's recent defeats.

Bale has been constantly linked with a move to Old Trafford. The former United midfielder believes the forward will succeed under the Dutchman and claims the 20-times English champions can only sign him if the player decides to leave Santiago Bernabeu.

"My feeling is that he would be perfect for Manchester United. I get the impression that the only way Bale is going to leave Madrid is if the club tell him to go," Scholes told the Independent.

"Of course, as a fan of my former club I would like to see him there but, looking at it objectively, I always felt that Bale was a natural fit for United as he developed at Tottenham from a left-back into one of the best attacking footballers in the country.

"He would be loved at Old Trafford. In return I believe he could turn Louis van Gaal's team into serious title contenders next season. In my years at United I witnessed some signings who, over their careers, transformed the fortunes of the team," he added.

Scholes also wants to see Bale at United as he firmly believes the Welshman can have an impact similar to the one that Eric Cantona and Ruud van Nistelrooy had at Old Trafford.

"From Eric Cantona when I was an apprentice, to Dwight Yorke, and Wayne Rooney. These were great footballers who became great United players. Bale has the potential to make as much of an impact as any of them," the former United man said.

"All good players need to be appreciated. Bale would be coming to United in a time of change when the team is looking for leaders. Madrid will always be in a state of upheaval, with new presidents and a fresh intake of players each summer.

"At United there has also been great change in the past 22 months, but the club is trying to move towards stability in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era," Scholes concluded.