Lucas set for Red Devils medical

Posted Monday, August 06, 2012 by ESPN

According to the Daily Mail, Sao Paulo's Lucas Moura will undergo a medical at Manchester United.

The young Brazilian has been one of the most sought after players this summer, with his name on the shortlist of Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Manchester United. Despite reports earlier in the week indicating that Lucas had begun discussing personal terms with the Nerazzurri, sources in England now report that he is close to confirming a 30 million pound switch to Sir Alex Ferguson's team.

The midfielder was in Newcastle last night [Saturday] for his country's Olympic football quarter-final against Honduras and was believed to have parted ways with the Brazil squad temporarily to travel to Manchester. The Red Devils team had left for Norway in the day to carry out the European leg of their pre-season tour, but Ferguson did not travel with them. The manager stayed behind to finalize the details of Moura's move upon the completion of the player's medical check-up.

Reports within United also indicate that the Scot remained to check on the progress of the transfer deal for Arsenal's Robin van Persie. With the striker also being courted by rivals Manchester City, Ferguson is eager to bring van Persie on board before the squad's Premier League opener against Everton. However, the Dutchman recently joined up with his Gunners' team-mates in Germany for their pre-season preparations, fuelling speculation he may stay at the Emirates Stadium this year. Arsenal are requesting for a 25 million pound bid for their top scorer, but Ferguson is hoping to negotiate a 20 million pound release.

Should the Red Devils fail in their bid for van Persie, the Scottish boss has identified Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski as the next appropriate target. A bid for the Polish striker is believed to already have been put together, and it comprises of 12 million pounds along with the option of allowing the German side to hold on to Lewandowski for one more year, as Jurgen Klopp is reportedly concerned about a lack of striking options for Dortmund's Champions League campaign.

Lewandowski is also on Chelsea's radar, as Blues manager Roberto Di Matteo is keen to provide Fernando Torres with some competition after the departure of Didier Drogba. However, United are believed to have the upper hand, not only due to the forward's preference toward the club, but also because of the presence of his former team-mate and good friend Shinji Kagawa within the Red Devils' ranks.