Manchester United seem to have a clear run if they follow up their informal inquiry about Wigan Athletic's Antonio Valencia with a firm offer, with the player's representatives no longer optimistic about Real Madrid coming in with a bid.

Real did table a bid in January but that was under the presidency of Vicente Boluda, at a time when then manager Juande Ramos was hiring English-based players and Valencia's agent Diego Herrera expressed some doubt that Florentino Perez would be back again. "The only official [offer] from Real Madrid for Antonio was last January," Herrera said. "The offer came from the previous president but Florentino is over there now so I don't know if they are going to go for him again."

The departure of Steve Bruce from Wigan has convinced Valencia that it is time to leave the club. "It is the right time for him to leave, now that the manager has left. He feels it is time to move on," said Herrera, who will speak to Wigan this week and travel to Lancashire next week, though Valencia has not been given the kind of encouragement about United's phone call to trigger contact with his agent.

Perez's desire for acquisitions shows no sign of abating with David Villa also now in his sights – denying John Terry the signing he wanted for Chelsea and City chief executive Garry Cook one of his own foremost targets. Sources close to Perez claimed yesterday that £33m had secured Villa's services. The add-ons for Villa winning trophies could take the eventual price closer to £40m. Villa's personal preference for staying in Spain looks to have swayed him Madrid's way.

Villa will join Kaka as the second of five promised Real Madrid signings and yesterday the Brazilian admitted it was David Beckham that helped him choose Real. "I spoke with a lot of ex-Madrid player such as Beckham and they told me what a marvellous club it was. Everyone said it would be a great move," the £59m signing said after his move to the Bernabeu from Milan.

United must now wait to see what Perez may do with regard to Cristiano Ronaldo. There is a school of thought within Spain that the purported interest in Bayern Munich's Franck Ribéry is a means to flush a transfer request out of the Portuguese. Perez said: "I will do everything possible to get Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid."

But he appeared to pour cold water on suggestions that Liverpool's Xabi Alonso could be on his way. "He is a great player but he plays in a big team and I haven't heard that they plan to sell him," he said. "It's obvious [Liverpool manager Rafa] Benitez is counting on keeping him. He's a good player and it wouldn't be easy to replace him."

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United's Dimitar Berbatov and ­Nemanja Vidic will NOT be leaving during the ­summer – according to their agents.

The men representing defender Vidic and striker Berbatov have both poured cold water on rumours linking them with moves away from Old Trafford.

Paolo Fabbri, who handles the ­affairs of Serbian international ­Vidic, said that Vidic would not go unless he was the subject of a “crazy offer”.

Vidic has been linked with a £25m move to Barcelona or AC Milan but Fabbri said: “I don’t think we will have any surprises in the short-term – we are not planning to move.

“Barcelona and many other teams can be interested in Vidic – that is another story.

“Three or four Italian teams would be pleased to have the player.”

The 27-year-old was voted Player of the Year at Old Trafford last ­season by supporters.

But doubts have grown about his future at the club following news that his wife Ana was having ­difficulty settling in Manchester.

But after talks with chief ­executive David Gill, Fabbri is adamant Vidic will not be leaving United – despite strong interest from rival clubs.

He said: “Nemanja Vidic will stay in Manchester.

“We were at United to speak with David Gill for other reasons – but we also spoke about Vidic.

“Vidic is supposed to stay there. A move is not possible unless some Arab makes a crazy offer!

“But in a normal situation ­Nemanja will stay there.”

Berbatov’s agent Emil Dantchev said that the Bulgarian will also be a United player next season.

There has been speculation he may be sold but his agent insisted: ­“Despite speculation that he may leave I want to declare that Dimitar will play for Manchester United next season.

“There is no desire from the ­management for any separation. He will stay and we hope he will win what he missed out on this year.”

Berbatov has failed to hit the heights shown during his two years at Spurs – but United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to show faith with the Bulgarian international.

Vidic has been ruled out of Serbia’s World Cup qualifier against Faroe Islands tomorrow with an ankle injury.

Manchester United are reportedly poised to sign Brazilian youngster Dodo in a move that has stirred up controversy.

The 17-year-old centre-back currently plies his trade with Corinthians and is regarded as an extremely exciting prospect for the future.

Dodo has been quoted as saying that he expects to join the Red Devils over the summer in a transfer that would see him link up with compatriots Rafael and Fabio da Silva and Rodrigo Possebon.

United have yet to indicate whether they will swoop for Dodo but the thought of such a move has angered 1970 World Cup winner Carlos Alberto.

Alberto finds it infuriating that big European clubs are able to sign Brazilian youngsters and has called on FIFA to change its laws.

"It is disgraceful United are allowed to do this to Brazilian football," Alberto said in the Manchester Evening News.

"The big teams have the money and can take our best players. It is a big problem in Brazil.

"The clubs cannot keep good young players because they can make much more money in other countries. They should change the law so, at least until the age of 20 or 21, the best players play in Brazil and get experience before moving to Europe.

"FIFA must do something."

Manchester United have accepted a bid from Hull City for England Under-21 striker Fraizer Campbell.

Hull have been given permission to discuss personal terms with Campbell after agreeing a reported £6m fee.

Campbell, 21, scored 15 goals to help Phil Brown's to promotion in 2008 during a successful loan spell at the KC Stadium during the 2007/08 season.

He spent last season on loan at Tottenham as part of the deal that took Dimitar Berbatov to Old Trafford.

Brown was keen to sign Campbell after Hull were promoted but missed out when the player joined Spurs.

Campbell, who has seven Under-21 caps, started just one Premier League game during his time in north London and only made one brief appearance in the final three months of the campaign.

A number of clubs have reportedly shown an interest in signing him this summer.