United close in on Hargreaves

MANCHESTER UNITED last night appeared to be closing in on a deal to sign Owen Hargreaves after Bayern Munich admitted the England midfielder was leaving them.

Hargreaves looks set to complete a £17m move to the Premiership champions, with the German media reporting he will sign a four-year contract.

Bayern have had a disappointing season, not only failing to defend their Bundesliga title but also missing out on qualification for next season’s Champions League, and the club’s intentions to make sweeping squad changes during the summer had already been expressed.

But senior director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge made it clear that 26-year-old Hargreaves had been one of the players the Bavarian giants had hoped to keep on board.

“A player like Owen Hargreaves would have looked good in our team next year. In the defensive midfield position Owen is one of the best in the world — it’s a big sporting loss for us.”

Bayern have kept a tight hold on their asset until yesterday when club president Franz Beckenbauer confirmed the player was leaving.

“Owen Hargreaves will go,” Beckenbauer told German TV. “It’s also the wish of the player. Everything is right and it is also financially right.”