United line up Cosic capture

According to the Daily Mirror, club president Yevgeni Giner has admitted the 17-year-old is a target for the Old Trafford outfit next summer, but will do all he can to keep Cosic at the Luzkniki Stadium

In fact, Giner and CSKA are so keen to keep Cosic out of the clutches of United and the rest of Europe’s elite that the Moscow side have enlisted the help of Kremlin president Dmitry Medvedev in a bid to grant him Russian citizenship.

"I must stress that we would like to keep Cosic," said Giner.

"We even offered him Russian citizenship. It now depends upon the Presdent Medvedev whether it is granted or not.

"I have not seen such a great central defender before, not to mention that he is only 17.

"But Manchester United would also love to have him.

"They have already made several attempts to approach me about him, asking if I was ready to negotiate.

"They can see the boy is going to grow into a bigger star than Vidic."

United, currently in the midst of a defensive injury crisis, could be without the services of Vidic for the weekend trip to Fulham after the centre-back, who scored in Tuesday night's 3-0 win against Wolves, limped off with a calf problem.