Manchester United have stepped up their interest in James Rodriguez, with the runaway English Premier League leaders tabling a bid with FC Porto, while also reigniting their interest in the Colombian's teammate Steven Defour.
With Nani's future up in the air, and the form of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia leaving a lot to be desired, Sir Alex Ferguson is desperate to bring in a playmaker who can change games, and Rodriguez fits that bill perfectly.
United have already signed Wilfried Zaha, who will join the Old Trafford club in the summer, but adding Rodriguez will further enhance the attacking quality of the side.
Rodriguez has been trailed by United for quite a while now, with the Red Devils failing to secure a move last summer, after Porto refused to sell for less than £38 million ($57 million).
United, however, are ready to test Porto's resolve yet again and have started the bidding at €30 million (£25 million, $37.5 million), according to Italian website Calcio Mercato.
Now, there is little chance of Porto letting go of Rodriguez for that fee, although it would be an amount which just about right for the player.
The likelihood is that United will throw in Nani as a sweetener in the deal, with the Portuguese expected to leave Old Trafford after failing to agree to a new contract. Nani's current deal runs out in 2014.
Meanwhile, United are also looking at bringing in another Porto player in Defour, who was linked with a move to Old Trafford a few years back while he was with Standard Liege.
United were thought to be on the verge of bringing Defour to the Premier League, before an injury scuppered any chances of a move. The 24-year-old instead moved to Porto, and Ferguson has reportedly sent out scouts to watch the midfielder's progress, according to Caughtoffside.
Even if the club might be leading the league by a massive 15 points from Manchester City, they do need a powerful midfielder in their squad and Defour would be perfect if he can show the promise and talent he showed as a youngster with Liege.
