Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has revealed that Manchester United have made cash offers for Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia.
The 24-year-old Valencia will have the formidable task of filling the void left by the imminent departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a world record fee of £80 million.
"They (United) have been in touch with us and we will be starting negotiations very shortly, I would imagine," Whelan told Sky Sports News.
"United have been in touch with us over Antonio for the last two or three months, expressing an interest and actually putting cash offers on the table.
"Those things have got to be picked up now. I think they were waiting to see if Ronaldo actually went to Real, which has happened."
He added: "We are not desperate to sell Antonio, I'm telling you. If I can keep that lad, I'm going to keep him. He is one brilliant player.
"What is difficult is to stop a lad like Antonio Valencia, who has got ambition. It is difficult to stop a footballer, who wants to get to the very, very top of the ladder.
"I would never stand in the way of a footballer who can go to bigger and better clubs, and you can't get bigger and better than Manchester United.
"If Antonio Valencia says to me, 'chairman, I want to go to Manchester United' and we get the right fee, the deal will be done."
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The 24-year-old Valencia will have the formidable task of filling the void left by the imminent departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a world record fee of £80 million.
"They (United) have been in touch with us and we will be starting negotiations very shortly, I would imagine," Whelan told Sky Sports News.
"United have been in touch with us over Antonio for the last two or three months, expressing an interest and actually putting cash offers on the table.
"Those things have got to be picked up now. I think they were waiting to see if Ronaldo actually went to Real, which has happened."
He added: "We are not desperate to sell Antonio, I'm telling you. If I can keep that lad, I'm going to keep him. He is one brilliant player.
"What is difficult is to stop a lad like Antonio Valencia, who has got ambition. It is difficult to stop a footballer, who wants to get to the very, very top of the ladder.
"I would never stand in the way of a footballer who can go to bigger and better clubs, and you can't get bigger and better than Manchester United.
"If Antonio Valencia says to me, 'chairman, I want to go to Manchester United' and we get the right fee, the deal will be done."
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