United in race for Diarra?

Manchester United will look to raid Real Madrid for midfielder Lassana Diarra in the January transfer window

United would be the fourth Premier League club to sign the France international, following spells at Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth.

United manager Alex Ferguson is ready to make a £12 million bid for the 25-year-old, who cost Real £20m when they bought him from Pompey in 2008.

Diarra, known as Lass in Spain to avoid confusion with his team-mate and namesake Mahamadou, has made only five Liga starts since Jose Mourinho took charge of Los Merengues in the summer, but United see him as the ideal man to fill the hole in their squad left by Owen Hargreaves and boost their midfield options.