Manchester United are ready to make a £25 million bid for Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure.

The Sunday Mirror says United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has targeted the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international as fears grow about Owen Hargreaves's ability to overcome the patellar tendinitis problems that have plagued his Old Trafford career.

Barcelona have already targeted Liverpool's Javier Mascherano to replace Toure in their engine room.