With Gareth Bale an unpopular player at Real Madrid, despite essentially scoring the goal that won them their 10th European Cup last season, Paul Scholes reckons the Welshman should sign for Manchester United this summer.

I watched El Clasico on Sunday and it was clear Bale was having a hard time of it. The reaction to defeat to Barcelona and the stick he has received from the Spanish media and some fans will only make it more difficult. He had a great first season and I admire his determination to fight for his place in the most competitive squad in world football.

I get the impression that the only way Bale is going to leave Madrid is if the club tell him to go. As their record signing, he may yet believe that the time for that is a long way off but we have seen them do it with some big names in recent years, including Mesut Özil and Angel Di Maria.

My feeling is that he would be perfect for Manchester United. 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. From Eric Cantona when I was an apprentice, to Dwight Yorke, Ruud van Nistelrooy 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.