A player well worth splashing the cash on.

SOCCER 2008: Madrid Beats Zenit 3-0

MANCHESTER UNITED will launch a deadline-busting bid to sign Arjen Robben from Real Madrid.
United have been quoted £26million but the Red Devils plan to force the price down this weekend.

Old Trafford chiefs will begin the process with a bid of around £11m – but an offer of £15m may be enough to bag the winger.

Robben, 26, is seen as the creative spark which can help fill the void left by £80m Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Dutchman has been in sparkling form for Real in pre-season. (The Sun)

Many sources have claimed that Arjen Robben is very likely to head for the Bernabeu exit and that Liverpool and Man United are the most likely to make serious in roads to capture the former Chelsea man. Problem is, the Merseyside clubs owners have no intention of giving Rafa a penny let alone the large sum needed to persuade Real Madrid to part with the winger.

Sir Alex may well be interested in signing the Dutchman as he looks to ably replace the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and to a lesser extent Carlos Tevez. Whilst Luis Antonio has been employed effectively on the right there are still some question marks around the ability of Nani to push on and consistently perform in a United shirt.

Robben, already a Premier League winner, knows all about the English game and was one of the few players to come out with any credit from Real’s poor showing last term. Obviously Ferguson will have some money to play with having spent less than a quarter of the mammoth fee handed to him for Cristiano and a move for the 26 year old former PSV star would represent pretty good value, after all the fee needed to secure his signature would still work out less than what neighbours City spent on Joleon Lescott!

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