Source: Telegraph
Manchester United in pole position to sign £18mrated Antonio Valencia
Valencia turned down a transfer deadline day move to Real Madrid to stay at the JJB Stadium but Bruce is resigned to losing the 23-year-old in five months' time.[LNB]"It's inevitable he is leaving. There is so much interest in him - not just in this country but around the world," Bruce said.[LNB]"We are talking about the biggest clubs in this country and Spain and beyond.[LNB]"There was a loan deal put to us by Real Madrid but it was not acceptable. We do have someone in mind to come in, but that is five months off."[LNB]United were said to have made their interest in the attacking midfielder, who can play on either wing, during the January transfer window. [LNB]However, a report in the Mirror[LNB] claims Bruce met with his former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to persuade him to hold off making a bid until the next window.[LNB]Bruce would have been loathe to lose Valencia in the same window that saw Emile Heskey complete a £3.5 million move to Aston Villa and Wilson Palacios join Spurs for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of £14m. [LNB]Wigan, however, will be unable to retain Valencia's services beyond the end of the season if their £18m valuation is met by United.[LNB]Real Madrid could turn their attentions away from Valencia following last month's rejection and ramp up their efforts to sign Carlos Tevez instead.[LNB]The Mirror adds that Real want to lure the Argentina international away from Old Trafford and will match the £75,000-a-week offer United are prepared to pay Tevez to keep him.[LNB][LNB][LNB][LNB][LNB]
