Manchester United losing battle to keep Nemanja Vidic from Manchester City but are lining up move for Real Madrid's Karim Benzema

*Serbian defender wants earning parity with Rio Ferdinand
*City willing to make Vidic best-paid player in England on £200,000 a week
*United lining up marquee summer signing to quell supporter unrest

16 Jun 2010 12:37:00

More On :  Manchester United, Karim Benzema, Nemanja Vidic
Nemanja Vidic - Serbia (Getty Images)

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By Wayne Veysey | Chief correspondent

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Manchester United have renewed their interest in Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema but are losing their battle to hold on to Nemanja Vidic, Goal.com UK can reveal.

Sir Alex Ferguson has given the green light for the club to make another move for the French striker after losing out to the Spanish giants last summer.

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United, who refused to meet Lyon’s £35 million asking price 12 months ago, are confident they can land the 22-year-old for around £20m after he struggled to make an impact at the Bernabeu.

But United fear they will not be able to hang on to Vidic, who is the subject of increasing interest from wealthy neighbours Manchester City.

It is understood that City are willing to triple the Serbian defender’s wages and offer him a £200,000-a-week contract, which would make him the highest paid player in Premier League history.

United do not want to lose Vidic, who was named as the Premier League Player of the Season in 2008-09. But the defender feels he should be rewarded with a deal to equal his central defensive colleague and the club’s highest earner Rio Ferdinand, who is on around £120,000-a-week.

City have been encouraged by the noises they have heard from Vidic’s agent, who has said his client is considering leaving United after the World Cup. The Eastlands club’s approach has been modelled on their pursuit of John Terry last summer, when they made a series of substantial offers, all of them rejected.

United accept that they may have to choose between getting up to £25m for him now or risk losing Vidic for nothing in two years' time, when his current deal expires.

Uncertainty about the player’s future has accelerated the need for the club to strengthen a squad that has so far been replenished only by unproven players, including Chris Smalling, a £10m buy from Fulham, and £8m Javier Hernandez.

Senior figures at Old Trafford recognise the need for a marquee summer signing to quell increasing concern among supporters about the club’s finances and ability to compete at the top end of the transfer market, which was highlighted in a BBC Panorama documentary last week.

Benzema struggled to make an impact at Real last season and did not make France’s World Cup squad but he is still highly regarded at Old Trafford and would significantly bolster a strike force that relied heavily upon Wayne Rooney last season.

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