Florentino Perez reveals Manchester United wanted Karim,Ramos, Bale and Varane

United had been linked with a move for Gareth Bale, however, according to Perez Arsenal target Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane were also on their list. “Manchester wanted to meddle in the situation but do you think I make a decision out of fear?”

United failed in nearly all of their high profile player pursuits this summer before eventually splashing out £36million (plus add-ons) on French teenager Anthony Martial.

Real Madrid’s newly appointed club captain, Sergio Ramos was rumoured to be heading to Old Trafford earlier in the summer but signed a contract extension until 2020 with Real Madrid a month later.

While Perez dismissed the fact that the La Liga giants rejected a reported €100m(£73.1m) bid for the Wales worldwide, he admitted that the Manchester based side were keen on signing a number of their major players.

Madrid made no secret of their interest in Man United’s David de Gea but Ed Woodward reportedly maintained for much of the transfer window that he would not be sold unless a player came the other way. “We know that United showed interest in Bale, [Karim] Benzema and [Raphael] Varane”.

“As a football club we have to close the door and the door remains closed, I can promise that”, said Rummenigge but he warned of the increasing financial power of the Premier League: “In the face of the British television money it will not be easier in the future”.

‘Those who want to do harm to Real Madrid meddle but nothing really happened, nothing more than happens every summer’. It happened before with [Fabio] Coentrao, exactly the same. “They have a new team and they lack experience”. And it happened with Ander Herrera and Athletic Bilbao.

‘It’s the inexperience of the new people in charge.