Soccer

United linked with Monaco defender

Manchester United are close to completing a deal to sign Monaco's French defender Patrice Evra

Thu Jan 05 2006 - 00:00

Manchester United are close to completing a deal to sign Monaco's French defender Patrice Evra. The 24-year-old is in dispute with Monaco and was pulled out of the squad to face Auxerre tonight following interest from United and Inter Milan.

Evra has made it clear he wishes to leave during the January transfer window, although earlier this week United insisted they had not made a bid for the player.

However, fresh from confirming the arrival of £7million Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic at Old Trafford, Red Devils chief executive David Gill has now set his sights on capturing Evra.

Gill is believed to be in Monaco this evening hoping to tie up the transfer.

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Evra's agent Federico Pastorello confirmed earlier today that a transfer is imminent.

"Things went well," said Pastorello, "and Monaco will not go against Patrice's departure. If an interesting offer is made to Monaco then the transfer will go through."

United are believed to be Evra's preferred option as Inter would rather sign him now but not take him to Italy until June.

"Inter have worked directly with Monaco and myself and I told Manchester United about the situation," added Pastorello.  "It is now up to the clubs to make their move. But it is true that Patrice really liked the way Manchester went about things. They were very professional with us."

Although no fee has been mentioned, United's bid is likely to be in excess of the £3.5million offer made by Inter as soon as the window opened this week.

Sir Alex Ferguson sees Evra as his left-back for the remainder of the season.  Irishman John O'Shea has been filling the role in the absence of Gabriel Heinze but United have continued to leak soft goals, a failing which has seen them slip 13 points behind Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premiership.

Evra is expected to be part of Raymond Domenech's French World Cup squad this summer and is one of the most highly-rated defenders in France.

His arrival at United, while not yet certain, could signal the exit of Mikael Silvestre, whose form this season has not matched that of previous years.