United in mega-move for French star and other red-hot gossip

Manchester United are ready to launch a club record £50m bid to lure Franck Ribery away from Champions League finalists Bayern Munich. According to reports, manager Sir Alex Ferguson will fund the move by selling Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Carrick. If the Red Devils land Ribery, it will be a huge statement of intent from the club who ended this past season with only the Carling Cup to show for their efforts. Elsewhere, Arsenal have had a £14m offer for Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina rejected, and will now turn their attention to Juventus stopper Gianluigi Buffon; West Ham will fend off competition from Birmingham and Sunderland to capture France international Sidney Govou from Lyon on a free transfer; and Real Madrid may be tempted into loaning Kaka to Chelsea - only if Ashley Cole goes the other way.