Real Madrid believe they have won the race to sign Nemanja Vidic and that he will follow his close friend Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu at the end of the season.
AC Milan looked to be edging towards a deal for the unsettled Manchester United defender after leading a chase that also involved their city rivals Inter and Spanish champions Barcelona.
But Sportsmail understands he is bound for Madrid in a £20million transfer that will end an increasingly uneasy relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Real deal: Nemanja Vidic is poised to join Madrid at the end of the season
The United manager has been less than impressed with Vidic's longing for a move to southern Europe and its detrimental effect on his form this season.
Though the 28-year-old Serbia star has been troubled by injury, Ferguson has had misgivings about selecting him anyway when fit, due to concerns over the centre half's concentration.
Resigned to sanctioning Vidic's departure, Ferguson is prepared to accept £20m from Real and use it for reinforcements.
Replacement: Smalling will join United in the summer
Fulham's Chris Smalling has already been bought for £10m and will join in the summer, and United are looking closely at Benfica's David Luiz, Palermo's Denmark centre back Simon Kjaer and Porto's experienced defender Bruno Alves.
There were claims yesterday that Vidic has put his house up for sale, or is about to, in readiness for a move that will reunite him with Ronaldo, 12 months after the former United winger joined Real for a world-record £80m.
The pair developed a strong friendship at Old Trafford and were known to sit together on the team coach and discuss their long-term futures on the journey to games.
Though Vidic will be savouring the prospect of teaming up again with Ronaldo, Ferguson may be less enthralled at having his hand forced by a repeat scenario of a leading player agitating for a move and Real capitalising.
At the height of speculation linking Ronaldo with the Bernabeu last season, Ferguson famously growled: 'Do you think I'd do business with that lot? I wouldn't sell them a virus.'
He subsequently climbed down and accepted the inevitability of losing the Portugal star, just as he has reluctantly excluded Vidic from his plans for next season.
Signed from Spartak Moscow for £7m four years ago, the defender initially gave AC Milan cause for optimism by responding positively to their overtures, but he was eventually swayed by his wife Ana's preference for a move to Madrid.
Not so United: Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid last summer in an £80m-deal
Real sporting director Jorge Valdano has been working on a deal since before Christmas and is believed to have told the Bernabeu board that an agreement has been reached on a £20m fee.
Off the pitch, United chief executive David Gill was involved in a terse exchange with a fan over the Glazer ownership during a visit to Birmingham University on Thursday.
The supporter raised a number of objections to United's controversial owners, who have burdened the club with £700m worth of debt, but Gill countered by asking: 'How many leagues have we won in the last three years?'
It is the latest show of dissent against the owners and there is talk of a takeover bid being put together by a group of wealthy businessmen who have been dubbed the Red Knights. Leading bookmakers Fred Done are said to be in the group, along with Keith Harris, a United fan who has put together a number of football takeovers.
Lolx 100M euro SAF get
right???
too much for a defender that's so old................hope Man U will go bankrupt eventually............
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson intends to buy another centre-half at the end of the season.
The Daily Mail says with Nemanja Vidic on the verge of a move to Real Madrid, Ferguson is prepared to accept £20m from Real and use it for reinforcements.
Fulham's Chris Smalling has already been bought for £10m and will join in the summer, and United are looking closely at Benfica's David Luiz, Palermo's Denmark centre back Simon Kjaer and Porto's experienced defender Bruno Alves.
RM can have vidic if we can have sergio ramos.
Originally posted by Rooney9:RM can have vidic if we can have sergio ramos.
real not stupid one leh, lol.
Vidic tired of diving for ManU leh. Wants to go to a Real club!
28years old maybe another 3 years of top form left for 20million. good business la. anyway he is injury prone recently and he was not the vidic 2-3 years ago.
When he first came to United, he was a virtual unknown, but he boast a good international record with Serbia, keeping a string of cleansheets. I still remember United overpaid for him when the asking price was lower than the final deal.
And now, after 2 years of solid performance, he wants to leave for greener pasture, kinda reminds me of Heinze.
Anyway, 20million is a good deal, United can use the money to invest on better centre backs or potential star - Jack Rodwell.
vidic actually not top class la....well at least not in the class of stam. Torres made a fool out of him a few times. I say let him go.
sell him if his mind is not at united. can buy upson from west ham as replacement.
sell la. but most player sold to real will seldom perform their top level. maybe too many babes at spain beaches for them to have fun/
Originally posted by Rooney9:RM can have vidic if we can have sergio ramos.
Oh my goodness... Please not Ramos. That guy can't defend well at all... He is like the more expensive version of Glen Johnson, can help in attack but terrible in defending... I rather have Rafael in there than him...
Ironically, Pool's result have been getting better since Johnson's injury...
Wanted: Nemanja Vidic
Manchester City are eyeing a sensational summer move for Manchester United central defender Nemanja Vidic.
The Serbian star is unsettled at Old Trafford after a series of reports linking him with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season. And mega-rich City are ready to upset Sir Alex Ferguson even further by trying to lure his key defender to Eastlands in the summer.
The Sunday Times reports City have made the capture of Vidic a key part of the strategy to replace their arch rivals as England's top football club.
City were successful in their attempt to prise Carlos Tevez away from the Red Devils last summer and a similar coup would cement their status as a Premier League big hitter.
Like Tevez, Vidic feels undervalued at Old Trafford and wants the club to offer him at least £100,000 once talks over a new contract begin.
Vidic's current deal expires in 2012 and United's money-men will be eager to cash in on the defender if the club can't seal a deal to keep him at Old Trafford.
sell to RM or barcelona than to Man City.
CRAZY!
nvr will utd sell nemanja to city, this deal will not go through even in dreams
You never know in business deals... If City can start a bidding war then why not? At the end of the day it's what you get that counts. Or perhaps can let them bid then counter bid each other until the price much higher then sell to Real a little lesser then City's bid... lol.
If City are crazy to pay something like 30 - 40 million pounds for Vidic then I say why not?
If he couldn't play well for United what makes you think he'll play any better for City? After all, his wife will still be unhappy =D
To be fair to him, we can't blame him if he really wants to go for more. He don't have much playing time left, he will be 29 by next season and this would be his last big contract before his career ends. So if United can't afford to pay him what the others are willing to offer, then he should be given the chance to earn more as his time left is really short... I belief he is one of the lowest paid top level defenders in the Premiership currently... For me, he has done his best for United and whatever price they manage to sell him, it still represent a good deal considering they paid only $7m for him.
Also, on another note, if United are to keep Rio, its a good idea to let him go as well cos I don't think it's practical to have 2 old centre-backs playing together. And while Rio is more of a game reader and new England captain, Vidic is more of the speed and strength type...
Nevertheless, should he stay back, I think he can still put in 2 more years in the top level before he starts to go downwards... But he must also be willing to accept a lower salary if he decide to stay at United. Cos they can't pay him City or Real's offer simple as that.
united should charge 200m pounds for vidic, if not no go to rivals city.
Lolx
every big transfer, city will be the extra 