Paris Saint Germain have stepped up their interest in signing Wayne Rooney from Manchester United in the summer transfer window, with the French club already beginning talks with the forward's representatives.
Rooney is expected to leave Old Trafford in the summer, after Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed the striker has asked for a move away.
Although United maintain they are not ready to listen to the offers, Rooney, who has claimed he has not made any transfer request, is preparing for life outside Manchester United.
The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Monaco have also been linked with a move for the 27-year-old, but only PSG have shown any real interest.
The French club, after claiming the Ligue 1 title after nearly 20 years, are determined to strengthen their squad further following their impressive campaign in the Champions League this season, where they were only just knocked out by Barcelona in the quarterfinals.
While Carlo Ancelotti's future with the club remains unclear, plans for the summer have already begun in earnest with Rooney a prime target for the Parisian club.
Rooney currently earns around £250,000 a week ($376,000) at United and PSG have told the player's representatives they are ready to match the wages, despite a considerably higher tax slab in France according to various reports in both England and France.
PSG want to pair Rooney with Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front, although the Swede could yet make a move back to Italy after admitting he missed the Serie A.
The only stumbling block over the move, though, would be Rooney's reluctance to leave England, with his wife just giving birth to their second child Klay Rooney.
However, if Rooney seriously wants to leave United this season, then he will have to consider moving abroad, with the English Premier League champions unlikely to sell their player to a title rival.
Meanwhile, United are preparing a bid for Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara. According to Marca, the Red Devils have been made aware of the availability of the Spanish international and the club are considering an €18 million (£15 million, $22.5 million) bid.
Thiago has seen a release clause in his contract activated after not playing enough games this season, which is why the amount being quoted is a reasonable one.
United do need a couple of midfielders, but could do with a more physical box-to-box player than someone like Thiago, who is a deep-lying playmaker.
But at a reasonable price, the 22-year-old would be a good addition to any team and would also reduce the burden on the excellent Michael Carrick.
United will have to move quickly if they want to seal the signing, though, with Manchester City also reportedly considering making a move.