Manchester United close to signing Serbian winger Zoran Tosic as cover for Ryan Giggs
Manchester United are close to completing a deal to bring highly-rated Serbian midfielder Zoran Tosic to Old Trafford in a deal that would see them pay Partizan Belgrade around £8 million for the Under-21 international.
By Steve Wilson
Last Updated: 3:30PM GMT 24 Nov 2008
Permission to land: Zoran Tosic is an £8 million target of Manchester United and will join the club once the Serbian's work permit is arranged Photo: AP
The left-sided player is a target for a number of top European clubs after he played a pivotal role in Serbia’s impressive run to the semi-finals of last year’s Under-21 Championships.
Should United prove able to make the necessary arrangements to be granted a work permit for Tosic the move could be finalised as early as the January transfer window.
That is by no means a certainty. Home Office rules dictate that a prospective signing must have been involved in three quarters of their country’s matches over the last 12 months. Tosic has featured in just six of Serbia’s previous 14 games.
United will put forward the argument to the assessing panel, which now includes former England international Chris Waddle, that Tosic is poised to become a mainstay of Serbia’s national side.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson sees the youngster as a long-term replacement to Ryan Giggs.
Meanwhile, reportsin the Spanish press suggest that Carlos Tevez has agreed a deal to join Real Madrid on a permanent basis if United fail to upgrade the current loan deal they have for the player before the end of the season.
Marca, a newspaper with close links to the current Spanish champions, reported that the deal will be completed next summer unless United act swiftly.
United’s option on the player expires on 31 Jan and Ferguson would have to pay somewhere in the region of 37 million euros to retain Tevez, who has seen his first-team opportunities reduced by the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham.
Telegraph
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