Manchester United join Premier League duo in hunt for England stopper
The long-term injury to Nemanja Vidic may have forced the hand of Sir Alex Ferguson back in the transfer market in the new year by making a cut-price move for Gary Cahill.
Former Serbian international captain, Vidic, was recently ruled out for the remainder of the season after badly twisting his knee in the club’s final 2012/12 Champions League game against Benfica in a match that rounded off a miserable European campaign for the Red Devils.
This news, coupled with the frequent injuries to stalwart Rio Ferdinand leaves Ferguson with only a handful of youthful centre-backs that are more likely to avoid injury.
Phil Jones, Johnny Evans and Ferdinand have been the main choices operating in the position recently, with Chris Smalling filling in where necessary.
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas recently ruled the club out of the running to sign Cahill, meaning that the Premier League champions are only expected to have Liverpool and Tottenham as competition for the defender.
The Bolton talisman offers an even more attractive proposition given that he only has six months remaining on his contract at the Reebok Stadium and with the side currently battling relegation, they are expected to be willing to sell.
As such, the deal could go through for as little as £7m as they look to cash in on their England international rather than lose him on a free in the summer.
However, with the teams involved, a bidding war will be expected and that sum could rise as the negotiations transpire.
