Man Utd linked with Ashley Cole but Leighton Baines still top target

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by Crunch Sports Staff

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Leighton Baines (credit: CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/GettyImages)

Manchester United are reportedly yet to table a bid for Everton defender Leighton Baines, while reports suggest the club are monitoring Ashley Cole's contract situation at Chelsea.

According to newspaper reports on Sunday morning, United are keeping an eye on developments at Stamford Bridge, where Cole is yet to discuss a new contract despite entering the final year of his existing deal.

But Crunchsports.com understands Baines remains United's top defensive target, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson seeing the 27-year-old as a long-term replacement for Patrice Evra, 31.

Ferguson last week confirmed he wants a new left-back signed before the start of next season to provide cover and competition for the France international, but how likely it is that Cole, who turns 32 later this year, will become a serious target remains to be seen.

Reports in the past few days have suggested the Red Devils are ready to pay up to £12million for Baines, but according to ESPN, United are yet to table a bid.

An Everton source was quoted on Sunday afternoon as saying: "We have not even had a single enquiry from Manchester United. Every week we are asked the same question, but it is the same answer, and we are getting a touch fed up with it.

"For two months it has been suggested that Manchester United have bid for Baines, but it is simply not true."

Crunchsports.com reported last month that Baines was likely to join United this summer providing a fee can be agreed with Everton, but it is believed the Red Devils are prepared to wait for the Toffees to lower their asking price before tabling a bid.

Everton are wanting a fee in the region of £17m for the England international, and although they are ready to offer him an improved contract to keep him on Merseyside, they are also aware that cashing in would help to ease their financial woes.

Baines is well aware of United's interest, and knows his club may have to sell him.

"I’m aware of what’s been said about United, but I don’t know much beyond that," he said earlier this month.

"It can be a problem for Everton given the financial situation at the club.

"Over the years the manager has lost players I am sure he would have liked to have kept hold of.

"Maybe the club has needed the money or maybe they have received a substantial bid for a player.

"The club has always done good business in that sense because the manager has always done a good job bringing players in for a certain amount of money.

"When players have moved on he [manager David Moyes] has always been quite savvy about the way he has gone about his business.

"Losing players hasn’t really hindered us because the team never seems to perform worse than it did before.

"Maybe it would have been nice, though, to have hung on to some of the players that have left, added a couple ourselves, and actually improved as a team."

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