MANCHESTER UNITED last night stepped up their bid to finally land Owen Hargreaves.Old Trafford officials made fresh contact with Bayern Munich and are poised to confirm their £15million bid for the fit-again England midfielder. SunSport revealed on New Year’s Day the two clubs have already held meetings over a deal. And United’s chief executive David Gill admitted: “I think we all know the area in which we want to strengthen.”
But Hargreaves, 25, looks likely to be the only transfer window addition to Alex Ferguson’s squad. Gill added: “The money is there but traditionally we do most of our big spending in the summer and I think that will continue.
“Things may change. If there’s an area in which we want to do something then we’ll do it. But, at the moment, we don’t plan to do a great deal. “We’ve already brought in Henrik Larsson while a number of the players who have been on loan are back at the club.”
Ferguson missed out on Hargreaves in the summer after the Canadian-born star was one of EnglandÂ’s few successes at the World Cup. United did all they could to get their man in what turned into a war of words with Munich.
Hargreaves publicly declared his desire to make the move. But that only infuriated BayernÂ’s bosses who had only recently given him a new contract keeping him in Germany until 2010.
The Germans dug in their heels the more United pushed to get their man. But Hargreaves has hardly played this season after breaking a leg in September.
He is now well on the road to recovery and boss Ferguson believes a medical will reveal if United are taking any sort of gamble. Fergie said: “The broken leg issue is there with Hargreaves but you can still sign a player if he comes through a medical. “Other than that I cannot say anything more because I do not want to upset those poor Germans again.”
Hargreaves will be cup-tied for the Champions League. But Ferguson is keen to beef up his squad for an assault on three trophies. And HargreavesÂ’ versatility, which allows him to fill in at full-back, also appeals to the United boss.