UNITED GIVEN GO AHEAD FOR SNEIJDER

Inter Milan have opened the doors for Manchester United to sign Wesley Sneijder after admitting they are considering selling him.

The Dutch midfielder's future at the San Siro has been clouded with indecision and he is believed to be looking for a fresh challenge abroad.

United were among the clubs heavily linked with the 27-year-old as they look to reinforce their midfield following the retirement of Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves' exit.

According to The Daily Mirror, Sir Alex Ferguson has been given permission to go ahead with his plans to sign Sneijder.

Inter new manager Gian Piero Gasperini admitted he faces a mounting task in keeping the midfield genius at the San Siro although he would very much love him to stay.

"At the moment, Inter have every intention of keeping Sneijder," he said. "What is clear is that Sneijder is a key player.

"But at the same time it is difficult to predict what the situation will be in 50 or 60 days and we have to wait and see what happens."

Meanwhile, United are set to lose out on Luka Modric and Samir Nasri as they are expected to join rivals Chelsea and Manchester City respectively.

That leaves the £35million rated Sneijder as the ideal man to boost United's midfield ahead of the new season.

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JUVENTUS READYING €21M BID FOR VIDAL

Italian side Juventus are ready to launch a massive €21 million bid to prise play-maker Arturo Vidal from Bayer Leverkusen.

According to sports daily Triunfo, the Chilean international is at the top of the Turin club's wish-list this summer as they look to improve on their seventh place finish in the Serie A last season.

Juventus are willing to offer €3.7m-a-year pay package for the 24-year-old.

But judging by Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller's comments, the Old Lady - or any club in this case - must be prepared to pay over the odds for the highly-rated midfielder.

"Arturo is a highly-coveted player, there are many clubs who want to buy him," Voller is quoted by Corriere dello Sport as saying.

"We will only sell him in the summer when an offer that we deem appropriate comes. In any case, we hope he can stay with us."

Vidal joined Bayer Leverkusen from Chilean side Colo-Colo in 2006 and has played over 100 games for the club.

His remarkable performances last season helped the club to a second place finish in the Bundesliga.

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COENTRAO COMPLETES MADRID SWOOP

Real Madrid have completed the signing of Fabio Coentrao from Benfica on a six-year deal. Madrid have not disclosed the fee for the Portugal international but a reports from Benfica to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMCM) earlier put the transfer fee at 30million euros.

Coentrao passed his medical at the Hospital Sanitas La Zarzuela in "perfect condition" and travelled to the Bernabeu, where he signed his contract alongside club president Florentino Perez.

The versatile 23-year-old wing-back started his career at Rio Ave and he made his top-flight debut at the age of 16, before moving to Benfica in 2007. He spent loan spells at Nacional, Real Zaragoza and also back at Rio Ave before helping Benfica win the Portuguese league in 2010 and cup in 2011.

Coentrao made his debut for Portugal against Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2009 and has won 15 caps for his country.

Coentrao is Mourinho’s fifth signing of the summer as he looks to build a squad capable of knocking arch rivals Barcelona off top spot in both Spain and Europe.

The other new arrivals are Turkey duo Nuri Sahin and Hamit Altintop, former Espanyol winger Jose Maria Callejon and Frenchman Raphael Varane.

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CHICHARITO:"I 'LL ONLY GET BETTER"

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has warned defences he will only get more dangerous next season.

The Mexican ace enjoyed a spectacular debut season at Old Trafford since arriving from Guadalajara last summer, scoring 13 goals in 27 league games to held United to a record 19th title.

Looking ahead to the new season, the 23-year-old says he is working his socks off to improve himself as a player.

"I feel at home now and believe my game is developing all the time as I understand better how to play for this great club," he told Inside United magazine

"My strength has improved and also I'm improving how I play - being quicker with the ball, with more technique and concentration - because it's very difficult to keep the ball in this league.

"Of course I have a lot more improving to do and I will work hard every day to achieve that.

"There are a lot of great players in this league, and that I need to keep improving my game to succeed here.

"I'm working on all aspects of my game - speed, strength, technical ability with the ball, movement off the ball - as well as heading."

Hernandez went on to express his delight at playing for United.

"I have learned that you need to defend this shirt with your life, because Manchester United has a lot of history.

"This is the most important team, certainly in England, in terms of history, and everyone who works here understands and appreciates that. It's one of the nice things about the club."

It has been a huge step up for the young Mexican playing in the Barclays Premier League.

"For me there are no small teams.

"They are labelled as such because they don't have the same history as some of the other clubs, but I quickly realised that every team in the Premier League is as hard to play as Chelsea or Arsenal.

"It was only through playing that I've realised that this league is the best in the world. I thought this before, but it's not quite the same watching it on TV."

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ALEX SONG INVOLVED IN ASSAULT

Arsenal midfielder Alex Song could face jail time for a nightclub brawl if he is found guilty. According to the Daily Mail, the Cameroon international could face a jail sentence of up to 2 years if he is convicted for an alleged attack on a student in a nightclub in his home town of Douala, Cameroon.

This news adds to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's frustration as he struggles to stop an exodus of first-team players from the Emirates, with Gael Clichy having already made a £7million move to Manchester City on Monday.

Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott have all been seriously linked with a move away from the London outfit.

The 23-year-old has not been detained and does not have to appear at a court hearing on August 18.

The victim Ludovic Achille Mouaha said in a primary hearing: "I was with my girlfriend. She went to the bathroom but when she hadn't come back after 15 minutes I went to see if something had happened.

"Two bodyguards blocked my way telling me I couldn't use it because Alex Song was inside. He then came out and was visibly angry. I ended up in a drain and afterwards went to hospital."

Song's representative told the judge: "Some fans asked for his autograph including a young woman. The plaintiff later caused a scuffle and Alex's bodyguards reacted.

"But at no time did Alex lay a hand on the plaintiff."

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