Double blow for Fergie on top striker targets....

Manchester United's top summer priority on incoming transfers is to sign a quality striker and over the last few weeks several names have been strongly linked with the Reds. Lyon's Karim Benzema has been the subject of a lot speculation linking him to United and host of top European clubs. However, at the beginning of this month the player hinted strongly about his desire to play for Real Madrid and today his club president Jean-Michel Aulas has laughed off yet more reports linking with a summer move to United.

One thing is for certain, if United receive no encouragement from the player concerned regarding a desire to play for the Champions they will end their interest quickly. Reading between the lines, it seems that Karim Benzema will not be signing for United this summer and his club Lyon do not seem interested in selling at this moment in time.

There's more bad news to report on another "top target" because Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has also dropped a massive come and get him hint to Real Madrid "It is true that there has been a of of talk about me going to Real Madrid and that would be thrilling because they are such a great club".

Fergie will not be pleased when he reads these quotes from the Dutch striker. It remains to be seen who the Reds will sign with Roque Santa Cruz reportedly figuring highly on Wenger's wanted list.

Finally, injury dogged Louis Saha has today been linked with a move to Bolton Wanderers.

Transfer talk hotting up: United and Arsenal in striker battle?

United continue to be linked with Miguel Veloso of Sporting Lisbon, the Reds are set to take on the Portuguese club in the Champions League next week and no doubting this will further fuel the speculation that Fergie is interested in acquiring yet another central midfield holding player.

So why exactly would United need Veloso given that they already have Owen Hagreaves and Michael Carrick? It doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, unless the Reds have concerns over the long term fitness of the former Bayern Munich star, or is it perhaps that Carrick could be sold back to Spurs in part exchange for Berbatov? Personally I cannot see the latter being the case, as I expect Ramos to follow Rafa Benitez in buying stars from Spain.

Fergie's most pressing problem is to find a new striker, so the stories linking United to Miguel Veloso are either speculation coming from the player and his agents or else the media - who not for the first time are being shall we say 'creative'.

On the search for new forwards and ahead of the weekend clash with Bolton. Carlos Tevez does not return from international duty until Friday morning and with Rooney being out injured it leaves Fergie desperately short of numbers having to rely on Saha and the jet-lagged Argentine - who by the way was sent-off in the 2-1 defeat to Colombia on Tuesday night in a World Cup qualifier. Don't be surprised if either Ryan Giggs or Ronaldo play up front alongside Saha against Bolton.

So will the manager try to sign a new striker in the January transfer window? Most fans will surely agree that he simply has to, but as ever the best players will be cup-tide for Europe, whoever it is that comes in will still be able to play in the Premier League.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is a name that has been cropping up in reports linking him with a move to the Red Devils, Arsenal are also said to be interested. The Ajax star is of course hot property with a number of European and English clubs said to be in the hunt for his signature. Unlike United, the Gunners appear to be able to conduct their transfer business without news spilling out onto the back pages, thus alerting rivals which can affect valuations and fees. The talk is that Huntelaar will cost at least £10m.

Berbatov remains a possibility for United, but there's been some recent speculation which suggests the Bulgarian striker might be lacking in appetite when it comes to battling for a starting place. Ferguson and David Gill have made it clearly down the years that there needs to be a desire to want to play for the club and this will be key when talking to the likes of Huntelaar and Berbatov.

United summer transfer update...

...so then yesterday it was being reported by the Manchester Evening News that today the Red's would complete the long awaited signing of Owen Hargreaves, 24 hours later and the deal isn't going through and reports now suggest that the deal will be completed next week, when the player returns from his holiday in Canada.

I have to say this news of the delay concerns me slightly as I, and am certain many other United fans, would have liked to have seen this particular transfer saga wrapped up, but now we shall have to wait and see if and when the deal does go through... There is always that slight fear that another club could come in and clinch a deal at the death, as was the case with Mikel, Essien and Robben, who of course were all snatched from United by Chelsea.

You wonder why exactly the Hargreaves deal has stalled for a week.. could it be something to do with the fee, or even personal terms? Whatever it is the fans will want this deal concluded ASAP.

Another player in the news is Gabriel Heinze, who we are told is so desperate to leave that he could invoke new FIFA transfer rules and buy-out his owen contract which would leave him free to choose his next club, the popular Argentine is being linked to clubs in Italy and Spain.

Regarding the search for new strikers, the Red Devils have once again been tentatively linked to Klaas Jan Huntelaar of Ajax, this lad is hot property and there's no way United will have it their own way if indeed Ajax agree to sell the player.

So the search for new strikers goes on and to that end United have been dealt a blow concerning their ambitions to sign Bulgarian hit-man Dimitar Berbatov because it is being reported that he will pen a new deal shortly, thus dashing hopes of him playing for United next season..

I for one believe that the Red's will sign two new strikers plus Owen Hargreaves. However, if things do not go well regarding striker targets, there must be a chance that Saha will be retained and then if that happens United may sign just one new striker and the England midfield star.

I will of course be keeping you up to date with all the latest news and transfer gossip over the next few weeks while the summer window is open for business.