Man United, Chelsea and Barca locked in megabucks battle for £30million midfielder

Manchester United are closing in on Ashley Young, David De Gea and Phil Jones but they have had bad news on striker Alexis Sanchez.

United, Chelsea and Barcelona will have to pay a stunning £30million to sign the Chilean star - after Udinese slapped a new fee on his head.

The Italian club are willing to sell the attacking midfielder to the highest bidder but slapped the sky-high figure on his head yesterday as the race reached a climax.

Champions United are prepared to pay £25million for Sanchez - seen as the perfect replacement for Paul Scholes - but they are backing off as Udinese raise the bar.

Ferguson has been told there is cash available, but the Old Trafford outfit do not want to pay the full asking price in one of the biggest transfer tussles of the summer.

Chelsea supremo Roman Abramovich has also told Udinese to count him into the bidding, with the Stamford Bridge club renewing their interest after failing to sign Sanchez in the last window.

Even Barcelona are struggling to pay the £30million and have offered three different players - Jeffren, Jonathan Soriano and even Bojan Krkic as potential makeweights.

Sanchez's agents are in Barcelona just now, but they have spoken with United and Chelsea. However Manchester City, who made the early running, have been told the player does not want to join them.

Now three of the super powers of the game are jostling to agree the deal, while the exciting Serie A star waits in his homeland ahead of the Copa America.

Italian sides Inter Milan and Juventus are also keen, but the South American wants to try a new league and experience.

Udinese chief Franco Soldati said: "We have had contact with Manchester United and Manchester City, but at the moment Barcelona have made the best proposal."

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