sport football teams manchester-united 8349942 ----- # Frustration abounds at Old Trafford as transfer targets Wesley Sneijder and Manuel Neuer look out of reach ## Manchester United are being frustrated in their pursuit of their ideal summer transfer targets, the Internazionale playmaker Wesley Sneijder and Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. ![Wesley Sneijder - Ferguson's ideal replacement for Paul Scholes][1] Targeted: Sir Alex Ferguson sees Holland and Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder as the perfect long-term replacement for veteran schemer Paul Scholes Photo: GETTY IMAGES [![Duncan White][2]][3] By [Duncan White][4] 10:10PM GMT 26 Feb 2011 [Follow Duncan White on Twitter][5] [Comments][6] With Edwin van der Sar retiring, signing a goalkeeper is a priority and Sir Alex Ferguson is also eager to sign a creative central midfielder. According to a club source, **[United][7]** still see Sneijder as the perfect long-term replacement for Paul Scholes but the Dutch international signed a new contract, which takes him through to 2015, back in October which will make him prohibitively expensive. A source at Internazionale said that owner Massimo Moratti would be looking for a fee in excess of £35million, while Sneijder, 27, is on £9million wages per year. Sneijder, who inspired Inter to Serie A and the Champions League and **[Holland][8]** to the World Cup final, was a target for United this summer, before he signed the new deal. He has suffered from exhaustion and anaemia this season and, after a disappointing start and the sacking of Rafa Benitez, there was hope at United that Sneijder might want to leave Inter. ## Related Articles * [Wigan 0 Man United 4][9] 27 Feb 2011 * [Martinez fumes over Rooney 'elbow'][10] 26 Feb 2011 * [Battle of the Bridge has lost its edge][11] 26 Feb 2011 * [Glazers: United not for sale][12] 25 Feb 2011 * [Wigan Athletic v Man United: live][13] 26 Feb 2011 * [United start 'acid test' without Rio][14] 25 Feb 2011 Despite losing at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League this week, new manager Leonardo has improved the atmosphere at the club and the chances of Sneijder leaving have receded. Bayern Munich meanwhile have apparently cemented a deal to sign Neuer, 24, in the summer. The German champions generate huge commercial revenues and can pay wages with which even United would struggle to compete. In a move that has been taken as confirmation of Neuer's imminent arrival, Bayern coach Louis van Gaal has dropped regular Hans-Jorg Butt and promoted the inexperienced Thomas Kraft, 22, to the team and spoken admiringly about Neuer in the German press. United have been sending scouts to watch Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg this season and have also reportedly watched Atletico Madrid's David de Gea and Hugo Lloris, the France international at Lyon. Of those three, Stekelenburg would come the cheapest. Finding a playmaker of the quality needed to succeed at Old Trafford is proving far more complicated. It has been reported that Luka Modric is a target but he signed a six-year contract in the summer and **[Tottenham][15]** chairman Daniel Levy will not countenance the sale of the club's influential playmaker. Spurs are under no financial pressure to sell their players and would be able to charge a prohibitive transfer fee for Modric. The need for a central creative player was highlighted again in the 0-0 draw with Marseille this week and United's scouting network, led by chief scout Jim Lawlor, are trying to find an affordable option with Champions League quality. **[Aston Villa][16]**'s Ashley Young, who is entering the last year of his contract this summer, is another reported target, as is Borussia Dortmund's Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa, who is currently out with a broken metatarsal. Failure to support Ferguson with funds this summer would deepen the antipathy felt by supporters towards the club's owners, the Glazer family. The club generates enormous profits from its outstanding commercial operations and match-day revenue. Yet substantial sums have to go on servicing existing debt repayments. Ferguson maintains he has money to spend on players but the £80million received for Ronaldo is yet to be reinvested. 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