Sir Alex Ferguson finally stepped into the transfer market last
night after clinching the £15.25million signing of Antonio Valencia
from Wigan.
And now
Fergie is setting his sights on capturing £40m hot-shot Karim
Benzema from Lyon AND Udinese's Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez.
Hotline
understands United have reached agreement with Wigan chairman Dave
Whelan for the 23-year-old Ecuadorian SIGNED: winger Valencia.
And
Ferguson has been tracking 20-year-old Sanchez - known as "El Nino
Maravilla" (the Wonder Boy) in South America - for some time and
bringing in another wideman will help fill the huge void left by
Cristiano Ronaldo's £80m departure to Real Madrid.
Sanchez,
capped 22 times for his country, has a £15m buyout clause in his
contract.
United's
chances of snatching French striker Benzema received a boost when
Real's bid to snap him up failed yesterday after Bernabeu striker
Klass-Jan Huntelaar refused to be part of a swap deal that would
have taken him to Lyon.
Madrid,
though, are still in the hunt for more big name additions to follow
Ronaldo and Kaka - and Benzema is very much on their radar after
Valencia's David Villa claimed he is staying put.
But
United's ability to offer cash is a big plus factor, with the
Spaniards now having to sell to raise funds to press ahead with
deals for Liverpool duo Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
The
arrival of Valencia, though, will soothe nerves at Old Trafford
following the exits of Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.
Ferguson
decided he is worth a gamble, despite receiving differing opinions
in scouting reports from his staff.
Wigan were
holding out for £18.5m for Valencia while United were only placing
£12m on the table.
But Whelan
compromised on price once it became clear Madrid were no longer
interested.
Tottenham
were keen to land Valencia, signed by former boss Steve Bruce in a
bargain buy from Villarreal, and pair him with former Wigan
team-mate Wilson Palacios.
