MANCHESTER UNITED boss Sir Alex Ferguson has clinched a £6million deal for Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze.
The Paris St Germain centre-back is a no-nonsense hard-man in the style of Jaap Stam and is the surprise solution to United's problems in defence. The 26-year-old, who has just broken into his national team but also has a German passport, is expected to complete the move within days.
He is likely to find Alan Smith among his new team-mates at Old Trafford, despite a £7m bid from Everton for the Leeds striker.
United have struggled to find a replacement for Stam since he was dramatically sold after his claims in The Mirror that he was "tapped up" by Ferguson before he signed.
Heinze, who plays on the left side of central defence, is seen as an ideal partner for Rio Ferdinand, with Mikael Silvestre returning to left back.
United fans may be surprised at the capture, but Heinze - who has also played for Valladolid in Spain and Portugal's Sporting Lisbon - is highly-rated. He has been chased before by English clubs, but was rated too expensive.
However, his price is dropping as his contract runs out in two years' time. He could arrive at the same time as Smith.
Despite Everton's interest, Leeds had further talks with United yesterday and their board meets today to discuss bids for the forward.
Chairman Gerald Krasner said: "There are offers from all around the place for Alan Smith, and not just from Manchester United."
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Just found that at some othr forums, no proper source. Hopefully it's true though.