Manchester United are ready to make a final bid for Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas. The Daily Mail says United have been locked in negotiations with Barcelona for several weeks now, with opening bids of £26million and £30million flatly rejected by the Catalan side.

Now, United look set to return with a bid approaching £35million plus add-ons that would smash the £30.8million Sir Alex Ferguson paid to land Dimitar Berbatov in 2008.

Fabregas has told friends he would be open to the possibility of joining United and is keen to link up once more with former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.