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Transfer Gossip

MANYOO EYEING £35M SUAREZ

It's not often that The Sunday Times ventures into the murky world of gossip but they're talking big business for Manchester United this weekend.

According to the newspaper, Sir Alex Ferguson is pursuing Ajax's 22-year-old striker Luis Suarez and there's talk of a £35m bid.

'Ajax are aware of Ferguson's interest and expect a bidding war to develop, with Manchester City, Internazionale and AC Milan also involved. Martin Jol, appointed Ajax coach last summer, considers Suarez essential to the club's attempts to recover the Dutch title for the first time in six years and is understood to have received an undertaking that his principal attacker will not be sold in the winter window. However, Ajax are a selling club and would struggle to resist an offer approaching their £35m valuation,' the newspaper states.

After a couple of paragraphs of waffle, it also adds that 'In addition to a new striker, there is also a need to find a long-term replacement for Rio Ferdinand. England Under-21 international Jack Rodwell is under consideration after an impressive start to his Premier League career at Everton' and that 'In the centre of his midfield, Ferguson is waiting to see if Owen Hargreaves successfully recovers from the knee ligament condition that has kept him out of football for more than a season.


PAY-AS-YOU-PLAY DEAL FOR HARGREAVES

Talking of Hargreaves, the Sunday Mirror reports that the midfielder 'will be offered only a pay-as-you-play contract if he wants to extend his stay at Manchester United. The England midfielder has just 20 months left on his current deal, but United will not enter into negotiations about extending the arrangement until the end of the season.'


NEUER TO REPLACE VDS AT UNITED

The Mail on Sunday is also gossiping about ManYoo and claims that 'German international Manuel Neuer looks increasingly likely to be the true successor to Edwin van der Sar at Manchester United, with a renewed bid for the Schalke goalkeeper expected next summer, but possibly as soon as January to head off interest from Bayern Munich.'

A bid of around £12m is predicted and 'Sources at Schalke say United have already made one bid, last summer, which was rebuffed.'

All in all, it's bad news for Ben Foster. 'What is clear is that Foster will not be trusted to step into Van der Sar's shoes next season,' the report concldues.