United to sign French star Barthez

Manchester United hope to complete the signing of French World Cup winning goalkeeper Fabien Barthez today.

Barthez won the French championship with AS Monaco in April but was in Manchester last night to follow up United's offer of a six year contract worth more than £15 million in wages. With a transfer fee expected to top £10 million, Barthez will become the most expensive goalkeeper in history as the English champions continue to search for Peter Schmeichel's definitive replacement.

Danish captain Schmeichel won the Portuguese championship in his first season with Sporting Lisbon and will play in Euro 2000 next month but his loss by United has seen them flounder in the search for a suitable replacement.

Australian international Mark Bosnich was signed on a free transfer from Aston Villa last summer to take over from Schmeichel but United were soon active on the continent looking at Parma star Gianluigi Buffon before buying Massimo Taibi in a then record £4.5 million transfer that went quickly wrong. With Bosnich injured, Taibi was found wanting and blamed foe several autumn defeats before being loaned out to Reggina where he remains.

Bosnich and Raimond van der Gouw contested the goal keeping position while United scanned the European leagues.

Barthez was a target for the Premiership champions least summer but his girlfriend Linda Evangelista, the super model, did not want to move to England.

The couple have since broken up and Monaco coach Claude Puet sparked a spectacular row with Barthez at the end of last month when he accused the French star of throwing a match against his former club OM. Barthez immediately asked for a transfer but later backed down as United started to prepare a record breaking offer. The goalkeeper was reinstated as captain of Monaco but the offer from United for the 28 year old was firming up.

Barthez has broken Euro 200 training to complete the transfer which could go through later today.

Monaco lined up a replacement in former reserve and Rangers player Stephane Porato three weeks ago and the Porato deal meant Barthez was free to agree to United's offer once Monaco had set a price.

With Taibi open to offers from Italian clubs, Mark Bosnich has turned down the chance to play for Australia in the Sydney Olympics from September 15th in an attempt to rescue his United career. The under-23 event would have seen Bosnich be away for up to five weeks with Frank Farina's side and he has decided to snub the Olympics and make himself available for the start of United's Champions League campaign. It is more likely that Bosnich will be sold off in the summer. While AC Milan's interest in the Australian has cooled, AS Roma were keen to sign the player last year before he decided to join United.