Newcastle are facing up to the prospect of losing prize asset Jonathan Woodgate after Real Madrid tabled a £14million bid for the England defender.
United refused to comment on the approach on Thursday but it is understood that the offer is on the table and that the Magpies are resigned to losing a player they bought barely 18 months ago from Leeds for £9million.
The 24-year-old England international is currently in Germany for a consultation over the thigh injury which has kept him out of action since April.
And, while there is little doubt that chairman Freddy Shepherd and manager Sir Bobby Robson would not want to lose the influential defender, there is a realisation that the decision could be taken out of their hands.
Real managed to prise Michael Owen away from Liverpool earlier this summer having recruited Manchester United star David Beckham 12 months earlier, and the lure of arguably the world football's biggest clubs could be almost impossible to resist.
The news of the bid will come as a massive blow to United fans still reeling from another hectic summer which has seen their club recruit Patrick Kluivert, Nicky Butt, James Milner and Stephen Carr but have to deal with Alan Shearer's shot across Robson's bows, the manager's fall-out with Shepherd over his contract and Kieron Dyer's alleged refusal to play out of position at Middlesbrough last Saturday.
United took advantage of Leeds' parlous financial position in January 2003 to land Woodgate for £9million, and have been delighted with his form when he has been fit.
However, that is something upon which they have not been able to rely - he has played in only 37 of the 128 games they have contested since, and has only 28 Premiership appearances to his name in a black and white shirt.
Should Woodgate leave, United would pull out all the stops to recruit a replacement, although it would have to be a player of similar stature if fans desperately hoping for an improvement on last season's fifth-place finish are to be placated
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Ai qe e permendi isha une,se e kam pa realin qe para 9-10 vjetesh stormo!Dhe e thashe ate mendim se marr vesht nga futbolli,jo si interistat!!Sepse Rauli eshte lojtar qe ndihmon shume,nuk gjendet lojtar si ai,goditje me koke,gjujtje,parabel ose lob(nje nder menyrat me te preferuara per te shenuar per te),driblim!!Para disa vjetesh luante me vertete mesfushor!Kjo do te ishte menyra e vetme per te bo me lujt kto "galaktiket"!!Megjithate as une, e asnji tjeter ketu ne forum s'e din akoma se si do me lujt Reali,dmth c'fare "formule",cdo gje varet nga kontrata qe lojtaret kane bere!!
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