English Press: Ferguson Sparks Berbatov Bidding War

The Mail on Sunday contends that Man Utd boss Alex Ferguson wants to land Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov from under the noses of Chelsea.

Other clubs, such as Real Madrid and Manchester City, have also shown an interest, meaning that a bidding war could potentially take place in January or, more likely, in summer.

However, with Spurs potentially valuing the player at over £31m (41m euro), Ferguson is keen to avoid inflating the Bulgarian's price tag beyond reasonable sense.

The Mail on Sunday adds that Ferguson and the other managers involved are unfazed by Spurs' "hands-off" warning, although Real Madrid seem unlikely to make a full cash offer. Instead, they'll offer a part-exchange.

However, if Ferguson's interest proves to be genuine, then the price could be raised significantly for the key striker.