Manchester United Bid Rumour for Nathaniel Clyne, Darren Fletcher News Confirmed

Southampton have moved quickly to pour cold water on rumours that Manchester United are on the brink of capturing their England right-back Nathaniel Clyne.

Sky Sports quote Saints coach Ronald Koeman on Friday confirming the defender is still in talks with the St. Mary's outfit on a potential new deal and that Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal has not lodged an official bid: "Not any news on Nathaniel [Clyne] at the moment, the club is still talking with him to keep him here. A lot of rumours but there has been no bid for Clyne. We've had no contact from Manchester United."

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It had been reported on Thursday that United were prepared to make a dramatic swoop for the talented former Crystal Palace player in the summer transfer window.

David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror claimed Clyne is LvG's No. 1 target at present as he looks to revamp his defence and that a £15 million offer would be made to Southampton for the player's services.

Clyne currently has only 18 months of his current deal remaining and has declared he will not consider signing a new contract until April, per Sky Sports.

Clyne has arguably been the best right-back in the Premier League this season and has been a starter for the Saints during their excellent run of form under new boss Koeman.

The defender has featured 22 times in the EPL and the FA Cup, and he has scored twice, per WhoScored.com—but he has surprisingly not contributed any assists for a raiding full-back of his ilk. 

One player seemingly on his way out of Old Trafford is Darren Fletcher, with the veteran bound for east London and West Ham United.

The Press Association (via The Guardian) quoted Van Gaal on Friday confirming the joint United vice-captain will likely leave in the coming hours, while paying the experienced midfielder a glowing tribute:

"

Darren Fletcher is now in West Ham, I believe, so we have to wait and see. He is my third captain. He is an important guy in the dressing room. I like him as a human being and as a player. We shall miss him. 

But he has not played so many times. I think always that is the main goal of a player. We have talked about that. He prefers to play. Therefore we have helped him to go away.

For us, it is a miss, a loss. For the club who bought him, it is another player with a lot of qualities, as a midfielder and as a captain. He is a very experienced player.

"

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Ben Smith of the BBC said West Ham were not the only interested party in taking Fletcher from United, with Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail confirming there will be no immediate replacement for the Scotsman:

Fletcher has been a great servant for United and has played 342 times for the Red Devils, joining the Old Trafford giants as a 10-year-old in 1995, per The Guardian.

His lack of game time has certainly pushed him towards the door, but the time is right for the player to now depart the club.

Fletcher has certainly looked off the pace in his fleeting performances this season, and he no longer looks capable of playing at the required level for Van Gaal.

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Clyne is a much improved player, and United have tracked the defender since 2012, as reported by The Manchester Evening News. Three years ago, it was said United were prepared to spend £3 million on the burgeoning talent, and Sir Alex Ferguson certainly missed a trick by not completing the capture.

Clyne is a better right-back than any of United's current options, and he threatens to become one of the best in his position in Europe.

The sum of £15 million may sound steep to many, but if he signs a new deal at Southampton, that price is only going to rocket skywards.