#TransferDeadlineDay: Manchester United close in on £30.5m-rated Ander Herrera

Manchester United are ready to pay the £30.5million buyout clause to sign Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao.

The deal also includes United agreeing to play a friendly against the Spanish club to help finance the renovation of their San Mames stadium, but David Moyes is now close to completing his first transfer at Old Trafford.

United failed with a £25.5m bid for Herrera last week with Bilbao president Jose Urrutia reluctant to lose face by letting the 24-year-old leave for anything less than the £30.5m (€36million) buyout clause.

He said: ‘There is an offer for Ander Herrera. We received it yesterday and we have informed that we will not negotiate for our players.

'Our club is different. We create an emotional bond. Our objective is not to make money. For that a player should leave he needs to state his intentions to leave the club and pay the buyout clause.'

However, United have now indicated that they are willing to raise their offer and Herrera is on standby to fly to England and complete a deadline day move.

Herrera is understood to have agreed a reduced salary with Manchester United, freeing up extra funds that allow Moyes to commit to the signing.

His deal with United will be worth around £3.3m a year - around £64,000 a week - and he will sign a five year contract with the club.

United's record transfer is the £30.75m they paid for Dimitar Berbatov in 2008 - this may overtake that, depending on conversion rates and other complicated wrangling.