TRANSFER BATTLES: Baines, Sneijder, Soldado, Fabregas, Koscielny, Higuain, Ronaldo, Heynckes

Manchester United are ready to step up their interest in Everton’s Leighton Baines.

With doubts persisting over Patrice Evra’s future at Old Trafford, United are searching for a top-class left back. Baines, 27, is well known to United’s incoming manager David Moyes and is the preferred option.

He has been widely been picked as the best left back in the Premier League over the past season due to his exciting forward runs for Everton and unparalleled dead-ball skill.



Wesley Sneijder has left the door open for a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.

The Holland star enjoyed great success with Mourinho at Inter Milan, winning the treble in 2010 and starring in the triumphant Champions League campaign.

And Sneijder admitted: 'I have a great relationship with Jose Mourinho.

'We have kept in contact since our days at Inter Milan. Does Chelsea need a playmaker? I'm not sure. In football you can never be certain of what will happen next but I'm very happy in Turkey.'

Sneijder went on to speak about his time at Turkish champions Galatasaray, for whom he has played 12 times since joining from Inter Milan in January earlier this year.

Talking to SporX, Sneijder said: 'Reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League was our target and we reached it.

'The first leg against Real Madrid was disappointing, had we played better we could have progressed. The home leg with the twelfth man behind us was amazing.'



Tottenham are prepared to break their transfer record to land Valencia striker Roberto Soldado this summer. Spurs came close to a deal last year and have enquired again about the Spain international's availability.

Chairman Daniel Levy is ready to sanction an offer nearing Valencia's £20million valuation which will eclipse the £16.75m paid to Dinamo Zagreb for Luka Modric in 2008.

Soldado has established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in Spain and his capture would represent a statement of intent by Spurs in their attempts to persuade Gareth Bale to stay.

Spurs also have interest in Internacional striker Leandro Damiao and Barcelona's David Villa



Cesc Fabregas says he wants to stay at Barcelona despite interest from Manchester United and Arsenal.

The midfielder has struggled to hold down a starting place in the Barca team this season and had been linked with a move away from Nou Camp.

Fabregas scored 14 goals this season and made it clear he has no intention of leaving Barca.

When quizzed on his future, Fabregas told a Catalonian radio station: 'There is nothing to say.

'I’m very happy at Barca and I want to stay for many more years to come.'



Laurent Koscielny has opened the door to another summer of uncertainty by admitting he could leave if Arsenal fail to show ambition in the transfer market.

The France defender played an integral role in his club’s brilliant end to last season, which saw them pip Spurs to a Champions League place.

But Koscielny, who has established himself as Arsene Wenger’s first-choice centre half and has four years left on his contract, placed question marks over his future when he said: ‘I want to lift trophies and to have a winning record. I hope the club will give me the means. If this weren’t the case, I’d look elsewhere. I want to win titles and I hope the club have the means.’ 

His comments echo those of Robin van Persie, who left the Emirates for Manchester United last summer. The Dutchman identified the club’s apparent lack of drive to win major trophies as a key reason behind his decision to quit.

Koscielny, a £15million target for new Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, added: ‘I feel good at Arsenal and if the club [can] compete with the best, I have no reason to leave. But if it fights every year for Champions League qualification it’s hard psychologically to be under such constant pressure.’



Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has hinted at a summer move to Arsenal by saying the London club would be a perfect fit. The Argentine is on his way out of Real Madrid and Arsene Wenger’s side look to be in pole position to land the striker.

Liverpool and Spurs are also interested in the striker but Higuain says a move to the Emirates would be his first choice.



He told The Metro: ‘There have already been offers and I hope that Madrid do the best for me and themselves. Arsenal? They would suit me, I’m still young and I have goals.

‘There are many possibilities. I want to go to a league where I’ll be put to the test.’

Wenger is looking to boost his strike force ahead of the new season and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is at the top of the list with Stevan Jovetic, with Swansea forward Michu also featuring, but it is likely that Higuain will be easier to get with Madrid ready to sell for around £20million



Ronaldo has indicated he will not renew his contract at Real Madrid beyond 2015. Real are determined not to sell the Portuguese this summer but United and PSG remain keen when he does come available.

Alex Ferguson sold Ronaldo to Madrid in 2009, but the 28-year-old has admitted several times in the past few months that he is not totally happy in the Spanish capital.

Portuguese newspaper 'A Bola' claimed that the Portuguese star feels he has not been treated well by the Real board despite his excellent performances on the playing field.

'A Bola' also stated that Ronaldo has reportedly been offered a €60 million signing-on fee if he becomes a free-agent at the end of his spell at the Bernabeu and signs for a certain newly-made-wealthy European club



Madrid President Florentino Perez had said that he expected Ronaldo to end his career at the club, but it now appears he could be looking for a new club in the next two years.

If Ronaldo is true to his word, he would be leaving on a free, not something Madrid are likely to want after having splashed out £80 million on him.

Whether he would move back to United now their manager has changed is yet to be seen, but he could emulate former boss Jose Mourinho by going back to a club he knew appreciated him completely.

Jupp Heynckes has said he will take a break from football management next season, ending speculation he will replace Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.

The 68-year-old, who will be replaced by former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola in an appointment announced by Bayern in January, won the Champions League last month as well as the Bundesliga and Cup double for an unprecedented treble by a German club.

"I am still impressed with the events," a tearful Heynckes, who took over for the third time in 2011, told reporters.

"From July 1 I will not take over any club here or abroad. I will recover, think about what has happened in the past weeks and months. 

"The last two years were intense and outstanding," said Heynckes, whose career as a coach and player stretches back to 1963, adding his team had learned a lot after just missing out on three titles last season.

"I had told my wife after last year's Champions League final defeat that I would complete my contract at Bayern but not go beyond that."