The five-time UEFA Champions League winner left Tottenham Hotspur to join Real Madrid in 2013 for a fee of £85.3 million in what proved to be an extremely successful move for the Welshman.

Gareth Bale completed the transfer at the end of the 2012/13 season after scoring 26 goals in 44 appearances for Spurs. His performances attracted interest from several top clubs, including Manchester United.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the 36-year-old admitted that United actually offered more money to sign him, but his mind was already made up about joining the Spanish giants.

“I spoke with David Moyes, but my heart was set on Madrid anyway,” Bale explained.

“And I had something in place with Daniel Levy, more of a gentleman’s agreement just to be like… because he didn’t want to sell me to a rival also. ‘We don’t want to strengthen another team’.

“So if a team did come in from Spain, Italy, wherever, Germany, wherever it may be, I could potentially go because if we didn’t qualify for Champions League, which we didn’t, I was then able to go there. So we had that gentleman’s agreement, even though he made it very tough.”

Looking back on the decision, Bale believes he made the right choice after spending nine years in Spain and winning multiple major trophies.

“I think I chose the right one based on the last 12 years,” he added.

“I didn’t go down the wages route with United. I didn’t get that far. They offered more money to buy me, and a player too, but it didn’t really get any legs to be honest.”

During that same transfer window, United’s only major signing was the £27 million arrival of Marouane Fellaini from Everton on deadline day — a move that ultimately failed to fully live up to expectations at Old Trafford.