United Agree £28m Berbatov Fee - Report

The Bulgarian hit-man has been a long-term target of Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson, with the Premiership champions close to a move to Old Trafford last summer.

However, with the player’s agent confirming that his client had received an offer from the club, Spurs manager Juande Ramos has resigned himself to starting the season in August without the majestic forward and has earmarked Espanyol forward Luis Garcia and Euro 2008 star Andrei Arshavin as replacements.

The Daily Telegraph reports that a fee of £28 million, subject to performance-related add-ons, has been agreed by both parties, £2 million below the valuation placed on a player who has netted 27 times in his Premiership career thus far.

However, the amount represents some hard bargaining by the north Londoners, who rejected United’s first offer of £20 million.

The move is set to spark a frenzy of deals in the English top-flight, with Spurs using the money to finances their own £17 million move for want-away Blackburn Rovers midfielder David Bentley.

The newspaper also speculates that Ramos will use current number-one, Paul Robinson, as a makeweight for Bentley, signalling Brad Friedel’s exit from Ewood Park as Aston Villa line up a £2.5 million offer.

Manager Paul Ince admitted on Monday that Aston Villa had also joined the race for the 23-year old, with the former MK Dons boss identifying Liverpool’s Jermaine Pennant as a possible replacement on the right-side of midfield.

He did, however, refute suggestions that 37-year old Friedel was bound for the exit door, stating that he wants to “keep his best players”.