Manchester United have had a bid for Moussa Dembele rejected by Fulham, according to the player's agent.
Dembele has made a big impression in the English Premier League ever since making his move from AZ Alkmaar in 2010 for £5 million ($7.7 million). However, the Belgian international has just one year remaining on his contract, prompting some of the biggest clubs including United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid to enquire about the attacker.
According to the 25-year-old's agent Jan de Visser, Real have asked about the player's availability while claiming United had a bid, believed to be around £7 million ($10.8 million) rejected.
"Real Madrid have contacted us and asked about the possibility of signing Moussa Dembele," De Visser, of management agency Sport International, told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
"They are not the first big club who have contacted us this summer for him," he added, while hinting United have had a bid turned down by the London club. Tottenham Hotspur are also reportedly keeping an eye on developments.
Inter Milan have again voiced their interest in signing United target Lucas Moura, but reiterated they would not be held for ransom by Sao Paulo. United are seen as the frontrunners for the talented winger's signature, but have so far seen considerable bids for the player rejected by the Brazilian club.
Inter have only shown a cursory interest as of now, but could step up their bid once the 19-year-old finishes his duty for Brazil at the London Olympics 2012.
"As you know we are strongly interested in the guy, but our interest does not compel us to accept every type of condition imposed," Inter president Massimo Moratti said.
Meanwhile, Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez are convinced the team can bounce back from the disappointment last campaign, where they ended up without a single trophy and suffered the agony of losing the Premier League title to Manchester City by goal difference on the last day of the season.
"All the players are feeling good about the new season and there is a great team spirit amongst everyone," Valencia told the club's official website.
"I love being part of this team. I have some good friends here and I laugh a lot with guys like Evra, Nani, Anderson, Bebe and Chicharito.
"Everybody in the group has a laugh together but when we have to work, we take things seriously.
"I'd love us to win all the competitions we play in, particularly the Premier League and Champions League."
Valencia has been handed the iconic No. 7 shirt for next season, and the winger said he is looking forward to prove to everyone he is worthy of wearing the number. "I'm excited to be wearing the No. 7 shirt in the coming season," he said. "It's a number I really respect because so many great players have worn the shirt and made history for Manchester United in it.
"Now I hope I can write my own. It's a new adventure but it's something that I'm very relaxed about and also humbled by."
Hernandez echoed Valencia's sentiments of winning the title next season. "When you win you learn to keep working hard in order to keep doing the things you did to win the title," he told Inside United. "And when you lose, you need to learn from the mistakes you made.
"It's not like one, two or three people are guilty of making mistakes -- it's a team game and every player wants to do their best to help the team to win trophies. I think we all learned a lot from last season and we're confident we can come back this season."
Hernandez said he is not concerned about setting a goal target, as long as his team keeps winning. "I've never had a goal target. "I don't want to be obsessed with scoring goals, I don't want to be only that player who only scores goals, and if I score goals I've played well and if I didn't score goals I played badly.
"It's more about doing my best for the team. If the goals come then great, but if someone else scores instead of me then it's still great for the United fans and for the club.
"You can never play one man against 11, and one player can never score all the goals by himself. If the goals are coming then good, but as I've always said, I would swap every one of my goals for a title with Manchester United."