Manchester United will reportedly face competition for the signature of Gareth Bale from German giants Bayern Munich should Real Madrid offload the forward at the end of this season.

United have long been linked with a big-money move for the Wales international and are understood to still be interested in bringing Bale back to the Premier League once he leaves Madrid.

The Spanish champions are reportedly considering a clear-out during the summer, with Bale's fellow strikers Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema also linked with exits.

However, Bayern Munich have now emerged as surprise contenders for Bale, according to reports in Spain, despite their comparative reluctance to spend huge sums of money on players in recent years.

Bale has struggled with injuries in recent years but has still managed to score six La Liga goals in nine appearances so far this season.