Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was a player who topped many United fans’ wishlists for years, although his big move to Real Madrid seemed to signal the end of any possibility of him coming to United. If we were going to get him, then surely it had to be when he made his first big move away from Holland, but apparently United weren’t going to pay the £17-23m Real Madrid were prepared to fork out.

However, Huntelaar must have been thinking he had made a mistake when his team opted Lassana Diarra in their Champions League squad at the expense of the striker.

After 20 appearances, Huntelaar’s agent, Vincenzo Morabito, has claimed that the player looks like he’s on the way out of Madrid but won’t be sold on the cheap.

“If Milan or other clubs want Huntelaar they will have to pay what Real Madrid are asking for,” Morabito said. “They player is wanted by many clubs, it’s just a question of price at the moment. Real Madrid will not be offering cheap prices to anyone as Florentino Perez has instructed Jorge Valdano not to let players leave for less than what they want for them. Those who are keen know the prices. Manchester United? Maybe, why not? But I repeat, Real Madrid have set the price and whoever wants Huntelaar has to show up with the right money.”