Robbie Savage: Manchester United should swap David de Gea for Real Madrid star Gareth Bale

Robbie Savage has urged Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal to swap his goalkeeper David de Gea for Real Madrid star Gareth Bale.

The Spain international will have one year left on his contract and has been constantly linked with a move to the 10-times European champions in the summer. On the other hand, the former Tottenham forward has been continuously criticised for his performance this season.

The Welshman's situation at the Bernabeu has alerted United as they are looking to bring Bale back to the Premier League in the upcoming transfer window.

"Fortune favours the bold, and if Manchester United want to build on their recovery, they should try to swap David De Gea for Gareth Bale. De Gea has been United's player of the season, no question," Savage told the Mirror.

"He kept them afloat in the early months of the campaign, turning draws into wins with critical saves. For me, he now belongs with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Saar among the club's best goalkeepers of modern times.

"He is the main reason my old club will be back in the Champions League next season, and he is the biggest reason why I must eat humble pie and admit."

"But this speculation about whether or not De Gea will sign a new contract won't go away, and there is talk of Real Madrid looking to bring him home to Spain, so United may have to drive a hard bargain.

"If De Gea does leave, I believe Louis van Gaal should move heaven and earth to bring Bale back to English football from the Bernabeu in a swap deal," he added.

Van Gaal has helped United register six consecutive wins in the league and that includes victory over their arch-rivals Liverpool and local rivals Manchester City. They are in the firm position to finish the season in top four.

Savage came up through the ranks of United's youth setup, but failed to make a breakthrough in the senior team. After the end of the last summer transfer window, the former Premier League midfielder predicted that Red Devils will finish fifth in the league table.

However, the former Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers midfielder has apologised for his earlier prediction.

"In my post-summer transfer window predictions, I said they would finish only fifth in the Premier League. They have proved me wrong, and I apologise," Savage explained.