Manchester United Transfer Rumor: Red Devils Planning £20M Bid for Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira

English Premier League champions, Manchester United, are on the lookout for a defensive midfielder to add to the team's defensive options. According to reports, they are now focusing on Spanish giant Real Madrid's German international, Sami Khedira. The transfer fee, reportedly, is in the region of £20 million.

Khedira arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu in July last year and has had a mixed time of it since then. Although he has, generally, remained as first-choice midfield enforcer for Real boss Jose Mourinho, French midfielder Lassana Diarra has started to play a more active role of late.

Although United has players like Darren Fletcher, Anderson, Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick, the team does seem to miss an out-and-out defensive midfielder and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to fill the gap with Khedira, 24. The position, previously, was handed to England international Owen Hargreaves, who spent most of his time with the club injured or on the bench.

The English club will know that it may be tough to persuade Real to release a first-team member and United may have to increase their expected initial bid.

Khedira has also drawn attention from United's English rivals Chelsea and Manchester City and Italian club AC Milan, according to a Caughtoffside report.

Khedira, who joined Real Madrid from German club VfB Stuttgart in 2010, has made 53 appearances for Real.