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MANCHESTER UNITED BOUND…
Manchester United are hopeful of agreeing a contract extension with goalkeeper David De Gea as revealed this morning by The Independent, but are reported to be making contingency plans to sign Newcastle’s Tim Krul should the Spaniard leave for Real Madrid. Krul is currently sidelined through injury, but despite agreeing terms to sign former Barcelona stopper Victor Valdes this week, Louis van Gaal is considering launching a move for Krul. According to The Mirror, Van Gaal favours Krul from their time together at the World Cup Netherlands.
The deal for Victor Valdes is near enough complete, with United offering the World Cup winner an 18-month deal after proving his fitness during two months of training with the Premier League side. Valdes suffered serious knee ligament injury last year and is yet to return to action having been released by the Catalans in the summer.
Manchester United: Players who were linked with a January move to Old Trafford
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United are also believed to be monitoring the future of Luis Suarez after reports in the Daily Mail claimed the Uruguayan could leave the Catalans. Suarez joined the Spanish side last summer in a £75m transfer from Liverpool, but has only scored three goals in his 12 appearances – though his playing time was restricted by his four-month ban imposed by Fifa for biting Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup.
Suarez has been linked with a Premier League return
However, Barcelona's one-year transfer ban means a move in the short-term is highly unlikely, and United face stiff competition from Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal if they wish to launch an audacious bid for the 27-year-old.
Burnley remain in talks to sign on-loan defender Michael Keane on a permanent deal, but manager Sean Dyche has confirmed that a deal is yet to be agreed. Dyche said: “There may be some news today pending the usual stuff. We’re just waiting.We’ve been in discussions with Keano and Manchester United about it and we’ll see where that goes, but it’s something we’ve been looking at from when we took him on loan.”
Vidic hasn't enjoyed the best of starts to life in Italy
TWIST…
Nemanja Vidic has been praised by current United defender Paddy McNair, with a shock return move for the Serbian defender still a possibility in the current transfer window. Vidic is out of favour at Inter Milan since Roberto Mancini took charge of the Italian side, and a return to Old Trafford has not been completely ruled out by either party.
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