United negotiate for Thuram

United's bid, believed to be ‚é¼27 million, is only ‚é¼3 million below Juventus' valuation of the Frenchman, who is preparing to help Les Bleus defend the trophy in the Far East.

Although there has been a small degree of rival interest from Serie A, United are firm favourites to capture the 29-year-old because Sir Alex Ferguson has moved swiftly to land his man.

After failing with an attempt to buy Thuram last summer, the Scot has made the former Parma defender his number one target after United failed to win a single trophy last term.

Talk of audacious bids for Leeds United's England star Rio Ferdinand, his international colleague Gareth Southgate of Middlesbrough, and Barcelona's Carles Puyol would appear to be a smokescreen, or merely wide of the mark.

Roberto Ayala, the Valencia stopper, has been a target in the past, and does seem to be keen on switching to Old Trafford, but planetfootball believe Thuram is the top target, with Ferguson keen to pair him in his favoured central defensive position, alongside former international colleague Laurent Blanc.

Of course, United are likely to sign more than one defender during the close season, with the manager confirming that this is the priority area of the squad that needs strengthening.

With Dwight Yorke also told he has no future at the club, expect The Red Devils to also add another striker to their armoury.