Manchester United Closing in on £35m Deal for Inter's Wesley Sneijder

Reports today suggest Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder.

Goal.com confirm the two clubs have entered into talks about the transfer, with Inter apparently ready to sell the Dutch international if United meet their £35 million asking price.

The report goes on to say Inter may even be prepared to drop down to £30 million, with the funds being made available to new coach Gian Piero Gasperini for investment on new players.

Sneijder is said to be "intrigued" about the possibility of joining United, with a Goal.com source claiming the 27-year-old would be "delighted" to take up the opportunity if it arrives.

That said, he's apparently not pushing for a deal and would be equally happy to remain in Italy if the clubs don't agree terms. Sneijder's current deal runs until 2015 at the San Siro.

The Sun have are convinced Sneijder will be at Old Trafford next season. In an article published today, Neil Custis says the club's chief executive David Gill was "ironing out the final details" of a £35 million deal with Inter representatives last night.

Custis adds that United see Sneijder as the ideal replacement for the retired Paul Scholes, and are willing to take their summer spending above £85 million to make the deal happen.

That said, in an article at the Daily Telegraph website ,Sir Alex Ferguson is said to be "wary" of Sneijder's age and the overall cost of signing him.

Ferguson is keen for any deal constructed to deliver United long-term value and is well aware that Sneijder would want to at least match the £190,000/week wages he takes home at Inter.

The general consensus is the United manager would have preferred to have landed the younger Samir Nasri from Arsenal, but with that deal apparently dead in the water, Sneijder is increasingly looking like United's best option.