Soccer Globe

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is planning a shock £20 million bid for Barcelona midfielder Xavi.

The Daily Star says Ferguson considers the Spanish midfielder to be the perfect replacement for Paul Scholes, whose Old Trafford career is coming to an end.

And he will also provide cover for Owen Hargreaves after United revealed yesterday that the England anchorman will be ruled out for the season.

Barca star Xavi was voted best player at Euro 2008 after orchestrating Spain’s tournament victory, while United are looking forward to taking advantage of the fact that the 28-year-old will be out of contract in 2010.

Xavi’s agent Ivan Corretja admitted: “We have not been able to solve the situation at Barcelona, despite some months of negotiations. We feel he should be offered a deal which reflects his performances on the pitch.

“Everybody at Barcelona knows that there are some big European clubs interested in Xavi, particularly in England at the moment, and we will not allow this to go on forever.’’

United will wait to see whether the contract situation is resolved before making a concrete move.