Rumour: Manchester United in for £15 million rated Southampton captain Adam Lallana

“Southampton is a special club for me and I can’t see myself going anywhere else”

Manchester United boss David Moyes has set his sights on Saints captain Adam Lallana to end his sides creative vows in midfield. The Southampton and England ace is Moyes’ top target after a string of fine displays for club and country.

United are now preparing to test the nerve of the south coast side, with Moyes ready to spend big when the window opens. Lallana, who is rated at around £15m-plus penned a new five-year deal in April, keeping him at the club till 2018.

Lallana and his camp have been made aware in recent weeks that United are keen. Although persuading Southampton to sell, and the attacking midfielder to leave his boyhood club won’t be easy.

The Saints will battle hard to fend off any bids and believe they no longer need to sell their prized assets to make ends meet, while Lallana’s leap into the England squad and World Cup contention have further bumped his evaluation.

Lallana has been at Southampton since the age of 12 and has been one of the stars of their rapid rise from the bottom of League One to contenders for European football.When discussing his future earlier this season, he said: “I feel like I’ve grown with the club from League One days to playing week in week out in the Premier League.

“Southampton is a special club for me and I can’t see myself going anywhere else.”

United and Moyes have tried and failed in a number of bids for midfielders from around the world. Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Ander Herrera and recently Atletico Madrid’s starlet Koke having all rejected the Premier League giants. It will be interesting to see how United’s pursuit of Lallana ends up.