In what could hardly be considered a surprising move, Manchester United have bid £20 million pounds for Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov. Sir Alex Ferguson has long been reported to be an admirer of Berbatov's, and really, who isn't? United will be looking to cover their bases in the event Cristiano Ronaldo is sold to Real Madrid. Berbatov would certainly help to recover a good portion of Ronaldo's forty goals should the winger leave. The Bulgarian striker would fill the currently absent role of target forward for the Premier League champions. His arrival would be of great benefit to forwards Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez. Both players prefer to play from deep positions, in similar fashion to Berbatov's current strike partner Robbie Keane. Berbatov could form a partnership with either player that could prove just as effective as the one he enjoys with Keane.

However, Tottenham will certainly reject the current offer, putting the transfer on hold for a little while longer. Spurs value Berbatov at around £30 million and will be determined to get full value for their talismanic striker if forced to sell. A factor that will also be at the forefront of Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy's mind will be the status of Cristiano Ronaldo. If Ronaldo is sold to Real Madrid for the extraordinary prices being bandied about in the papers, Spurs will smell blood in the water. The influx of cash at United from the Ronaldo deal will drive the Berbatov's price up even higher. Which is why United have placed their bid now. They'll hope that Berbatov pushes for the transfer to be completed, meaning that United will get him at closer to the £30 million price Tottenham have placed on him then in an inflated post-Ronaldo sale. Spurs, for their part, will try to hold out for a Ronaldo transfer.

Berbatov's departure could also speed the departure of Robbie Keane to Liverpool. The Irishman will be more likely to leave if the player with whom he has been described as having a 'telepathic' relationship has left for greener pastures. While the club will be hesitant to let both players leave, Keane's value to Juande Ramos will certainly be diminished if Berbatov leaves. Darren Bent has also been linked with a move to Roy Keane's Sunderland. Indeed, Tottenham's forward stable, formerly the club's strongest asset , could look strangely empty in the near future.