Wilfried Zaha
Wilfried Zaha has scored five goals and contributed five assists in 31 appearances for Crystal Palace this season. Reuters

It would appear that Manchester United’s pursuit of Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha is close to a successful completion. After reports that a deal had broken down over the weekend, the Daily Mirror and other sources now claim that an agreement is imminent.

It is believed that United will pay an initial £10 million to the Championship club, with a further £5 million potentially being paid in performance-related clauses.

The Mirror reports that Zaha has been given permission to meet with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to discuss the proposed move on Sunday evening. However, Sky Sports issues a contradictory message as they state that Palace have informed them that no agreement has yet been reached.

Even if a deal is done, it is believed that Zaha will remain at Palace on loan until the end of the season.

A host of Premier League clubs, particularly Arsenal, have been linked to Zaha in recent months, although it appears that United have been in pole position for some time.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that another 20-year-old from the Championship, Leicester’s Jeff Schlupp, is currently training with Manchester United. Reports emerged last week that United were taking a look at the striker ahead of a potential move. That has now been confirmed by Leicester manager Nigel Pearson.

“He is training with them at the moment," Pearson told the Leicester Mercury.

"I have allowed him to go there for a week. It is a great opportunity for him. We have a good relationship with United and I am not going to stand in his way to go there for a week's training.

"If anything comes of it, we will wait and see. They have had a good look at him."

A German-born Ghana international, Schlupp first came to prominence when he scored a hat trick on his debut last season.

Manchester United have also been linked with a third 20-year-old of late in Nordsjaelland center back Jores Okore. The likes of Chelsea and Liverpool are also thought to be taking a keen interest in the Denmark international.

Okore’s agent refused to rule out a move for his client in the January transfer window.

“These are only rumors. Negotiations ongoing with any club? No comment," Nikola Juric said, according to Sky Sports.

"Obviously, Jores would like to prove himself in more competitive leagues, but we have no hurry. It could happen in January or in the summer.

"He is an intelligent guy and a model professional. The only thing I can say for sure, is that any choice won't be made for economic reasons. We seek a project and not the money. "

In other news, Spanish publication El Mundo Deportivo is making bold claims that Barcelona are strongly considering Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea as a potential replacement for Victor Valdes, and that United are prepared to sell.

Valdes announced last week that he will not be renewing his current contract, which expires in the summer of 2014. De Gea and Liverpool’s Pepe Reina have since been cited as targets. El Mundo Deportivo reports that United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is prepared to cut his losses with De Gea due to his lack of physical presence and that a search is being conducted for a stopper, who is eligible for the Champions League, in this month’s transfer window.

Reina and Stoke’s Asmir Begovic are again listed as targets.

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