Craig Bellamy believes fellow Welshman Gareth Bale is unaffordable for Manchester United, who have been linked multiple times with a move for the Real Madrid star.

Bellamy, who during a well-travelled career played for United’s fierce rivals Liverpool, as well as Manchester City, says the wages Bale, reportedly £350,000 per week, are unmatchable for anyone else, and any transfer fee he would command would price United and other clubs out of a move.

“Where could he go?” Bellamy said to the Daily Star. “Man United can’t pay his wages, nobody can. There’s only one club that can pay his wages.

“That’s the world he’s in at this moment. The wages he is he’ll have to take a massive wage cut to go elsewhere.

“And I’m sure he would do but realistically then is someone then going to go and buy him? How can a club go and spend £80m, £90m?

“I know Juventus did for [Cristiano] Ronaldo but Ronaldo’s a different purpose, that’s a different world of business.

“But Gareth, how can you go and spend £80m,£90m, £100m for a player you’re not going to get any return on? Maybe as part of a part-exchange deal but Gareth won’t be part of any part-exchange deals, he’s too good a player for that.

“So I just don’t see it being a possible move for anyone to get anywhere near.”

Bellamy’s proposed figures for a Bale fee are likely undervaluing his former international colleague, given the current market, although his assertion that a club like United couldn’t afford an £80-90million fee is questionable.

It does seem that Bale is set to stay at Madrid, however, though the wages and potential transfer fee are likely not the primary reasons. Instead, it is the departure of Ronaldo, setting the stage for Bale to step into the Portuguese star’s shoes and become the main man at the club, that is likely going to keep him in the Spanish capital.

Bellamy, who has seen his compatriot’s progression from a promising youth player to the one-time world record transfer, believes Bale will be able to step up to the challenge.

“It’s changed with Ronaldo going, I think it opens up,” he said. “He needs to be the main man in a team and he deserves to be the main man in a team.”