Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to make a £40m bid for Valencia striker David Villa after Barcelona opened the auction with a bid.

Ferguson has offered Manchester United’s Portuguese winger Nani to Wigan as bait in his bid to sign Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia.

Inter Milan’s Brazilian right-back Maicon is also a £10m target for City manager Mark Hughes.

Chelsea are also set to make a move for goalkeeper Ross Turnbull who has rejected a new contract at Middlesbrough.

Liverpool will offload winger Sebastian Leto to Greek club Panathinaikos for £3m with defender Alvaro Arbeloa set to join Real Madrid in the next few days.

Gary Megson is ready to splash £8.5m on Swansea midfielder Ferrie Bodde and Reading striker Kevin Doyle.

Hearts have told Coventry they must pay £4m if they want England Under-21 winger Andrew Driver.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is tracking Aston Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell and Middlesbrough’s Gary O’Neil.

Tottenham are interested in Wigan’s 21-year-old midfielder Lee Cattermole.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis is ready to pay £5m for Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins.

Chelsea are closing in on a £4m deal for Charlton’s 17-year-old forward Jonjo Shelvey, who is also being tracked by Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham.

Sheffield United defender Matt Kilgallon is a £4m target for Wigan, Wolves and Birmingham.

Gareth Southgate wants former England team-mate Phil Neville to join him at Middlesbrough. The Boro boss has offered the Everton skipper the chance to join his backroom staff.