Manchester United Transfer News: Ronaldo, Fellaini, Baines And Thiago Discussed In Latest Speculation

Incoming Manchester United manager is considering a bid to bring Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini with him to Old Trafford, according to the Guardian. Everton will be able to do little to stop the Belgian leaving, with the player having a clause in his contract allowing him to join a club in the Champions League for a fee of £24 million. It is said that United would be prepared to meet that figure.

While Moyes does not officially take over from the retiring Sir Alex Ferguson until July 1, he has already been at the club’s training ground to meet the staff. On Friday, it was revealed that assistant manager Mike Phelan and goalkeeping coach Eric Steele have left the club as part of Moyes’ restructuring of the coaching staff. And it is widely believed that the Scot is already drawing up his transfer targets for the summer.

While there are strong links to Fellaini, the Guardian does not believe that Moyes will look to bring in Everton left-back Leighton Baines. The England international has been linked with a move to Old Trafford since last summer. Recent reports, though, have suggested that Moyes has his sights on exciting 17-year-old Southampton left-back Luke Shaw.

A central midfielder is likely to be Moyes’s priority, however. Already lacking something in that department, United have lost Paul Scholes to retirement and there are doubts about the future of Anderson and Darren Fletcher. Fellaini would fit the bill of the all-action dynamic midfielder that United have long lacked.

Manchester United have also been linked in recent days for highly rated Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara. More of a playmaker than Fellaini, the 22-year-old can leave the Camp Nou for just €18 million (£15.4m) this summer due to a clause in his contract activated by his failure to make a requisite number of appearances this season.

Spanish publication AS claims that United -- as well as Manchester City, Chelsea and Bayern Munich -- have all expressed an interest in the Spain international. Thiago is said to be keen for regular action, according to Mundo Deportivo, in order to force his way into the Spanish squad for next year’s World Cup in Brazil -- the country with which his father, Mazinho, won the competition in 1994. The Barcelona-based publication has also claimed that there was amazement among the sport’s luminaries gathered for Saturday’s Champions League final that Thiago’s buyout clause was so low.

There has also been further news of Manchester United’s reported attempts to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford. Talk of the unlikely proposition has swirled for much of the season, but the departure of the Portuguese forward’s former mentor Ferguson is likely to have decreased chances of a deal. And based on comments by the man who signed Ronaldo for a record £80 million fee in 2009, the Daily Mail has claimed that Chelsea have now jumped ahead of United in the hunt for Ronaldo.

“Ronaldo said he was sad at the beginning of the season,” former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon told TalkSport. “I think the relationship with the current president is not a good one, maybe because the president doesn’t like the players he inherited. There are not many teams that could afford to pay him what he deserves and who can pay Real Madrid what they are asking for. There are three clubs -- Manchester City, PSG and Chelsea. I don’t think any other club is going to pay that amount of money for a player.

“They [Real] are going to negotiate the contract now and they will make a decision. It’s something we will know in a few weeks.”

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