Man United eyeing £36million double swoop for Diarra and Borriello

Sir Alex Ferguson is ­lining up a £36million ­double swoop for AC Milan striker Marco Borriello and Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra.

The Manchester United boss wants his transfer business completed before the World Cup – and will offer £16m for Borriello and £20m for Diarra.

United’s move raises ­serious doubts about the futures of ­Dimitar Berbatov and Owen Hargreaves.

Borriello, a powerful ­target man, is viewed as the perfect foil for Wayne ­Rooney after Berbatov’s failure to fill the role in the two years since he arrived in Manchester from Spurs for a club record £30.75m.

The Bulgarian quit ­international football this week to concentrate on United next season.

Diarra is ­surplus to requirements at Madrid after failing to meet expectations ­following his £20m arrival from Portsmouth in 2008.

He would bring the kind of physical presence that United have lacked.

Player review: Evra

Patrice skippered United to silverware, and was a study in consistency all season...

Story of the season: Sir Alex Ferguson’s reliance on rotation is infamous, so it speaks volumes for the form and fitness levels of Patrice Evra that he should start every single Premier League game until mid-April’s draw at Blackburn. Even then, the Frenchman was introduced as a late substitute to inject the pace and purpose required as the Reds sought in vain to snatch victory. While Wayne Rooney’s scoring exploits deservedly snared him the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, Evra was prominent among the also-rans, receiving an honourable mention from Sir Alex at the end of the campaign. That was the least the 28-year-old deserved for a string of performances which rarely dipped below excellent, even when surrounded by midfielders moonlighting in defence in December. Evra skippered the Reds to victory over Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final, further evidencing that the little man is a huge presence on the field and in the dressing room.

Finest moment: Despite a spate of speculative potshots, Evra failed to score throughout 2009/10 – not that he didn’t contribute to some big goals, mind. His errant drive forced Anton Ferdinand to concede an injury-time own goal in September’s draw at Old Trafford, and handful of other assists included, most memorably, his floated cross which Paul Scholes headed home in the final seconds of April’s Manchester derby at Eastlands.

What’s in store? More of the same, please. Patrice may have more competition next term if John O’Shea and Fabio achieve sustained fitness, but they have an almighty task to dislodge a player Sir Alex trusts inherently.


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