SIR Alex Ferguson is ready to make a £25million swoop
for Germany’s Mesut Ozil after Wesley Sneijder announced he wants
to stay with Inter Milan.
Manchester United boss Ferguson is looking for a
playmaker to replace veteran Paul Scholes, who has suggested next
season could be his last.
Ozil fits the bill with his superb skill, passing
ability and shooting power. Ferguson was tracking Ozil, 21, before
his World Cup exploits for Germany shot him to prominence.
Werder Bremen are resigned to losing Ozil, who has a
year left on his contract, with the player tempted by a move to the
Premier League.
“I want to win trophies and there are two clubs in
England, United and Chelsea, who win trophies,” he said.
The £25m-rated Sneijder rejected the money-spinning
interest of United to pledge his future to Inter.
Joint top scorer in South Africa with five goals,
Sneijder will open new contract talks with Inter president Massimo
Moratti, after bidding for an unprecedented haul against Spain in
the World Cup final.
Having won the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa
Italia at Inter under Jose Mourinho, who has since moved to Real
Madrid and been replaced by Rafa Benitez, Sneijder wants to extend
his deal to 2015. He said: “I will stay. I will play next season
with Inter. My heart is in Milan.”
Ferguson has revealed Owen Hargreaves will miss the
start of the season after suffering an injury setback.
It was hoped he could join United on tour - they leave
for a training camp in Chicago on Monday - but Ferguson said: “Owen
is in America seeing a specialist. He will not be ready for the
start of the season. I do not know when he will be back.”