Inter Milan favourites to capture Man United captain Vidic

Manchester United have now confirmed captain Nemanja Vidic is set to leave the club on a free transfer in the summer. There will be no shortage of suitors.

Before last month’s transfer deadline, it was suggested that Galatasaray would make the Serb a lucrative offer, but a move never materialised.

Out of contract at the end of the season, Vidic, who is said to be on a £100,000-a-week contract, seemingly has a few options to pick from. The likes of the aforementioned Galatasaray, favourites Inter Milan as well as Juventus and Monaco are all rumoured to be in the hunt.

With Man United down in seventh place and odds of only 13/5 to finish in the top-four, maybe now is the right time for the 32-year-old to leave.

Vidic has been a rock in the United defence ever since joining from Spartak Moscow just over eight years ago. However, a serious knee ligament injury suffered in a Champions League fixture against Basel in December 2011 temporarily halted his career, and as a result he has arguably not been the same player since.

There was still the hope that he would stay at Old Trafford, but with six months to go on his contract, Vidic is now free to talk with foreign clubs. David Moyes will be keen to keep at least a few of his ageing players for next season, as a mass-exodus would do nothing to help the confidence of the struggling club.

Only in September, Moyes was quoted as saying that Vidic is the “best defender I have ever worked with”, and that he was planning on offering the centre back a new deal, but talks seem to have faded.

Recent reports seem to suggest that there is firm interest from Serie A giants Inter with the club contacting Vidic’s representatives, but the current United player will need to take a 50 per cent drop in wages, as the Italians are currently trying to cut costs.

Whether or not Inter actually need Vidic remains to be seen, as they do currently boast no less than six centre backs in their first team squad. The likes of regulars Hugo Campagnaro, Juan Jesus and Rolando, as well as Argentine legend Walter Samuel and others are battling it out for starting spots in their three-man defence.

Vidic is supposedly angered by United’s failure to make him a concrete contract offer, so has decided to call time on his Old Trafford career with his head still held high. His legend status is surely secured by now having helped the club win five Premier League trophies and one Champions League.