Football: Manchester United's new transfer strategy

Luca Toni: The World Cup-winner is 32, young enough for Milan to consider him youthful but too old for Sir Alex Ferguson's tastes. Photograph: Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Franck Ribéry: The Bayern Munich winger was thought to be United's No1 target but his 26th birthday in April seemingly rules him out. Photograph: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images

Gennaro Gattuso: A long-standing target but at 31 the Milan midfielder has to be scratched from Ferguson's wish list. Photograph: Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Marcos Senna: A stop-gap solution for defensive midfield but the Villarreal player's 33rd birthday next month kills United's mooted interest. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

Michael Owen: Thirty in December which saves United's doctors the bother of a lengthy medical. Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Mahamadou Diarra: The Real Madrid midfielder, 28, would be a capable stand-in for Owen Hargreaves but his low re-sale value means he will move elsewhere. Photograph: Robert Zolles/Reuters

David Villa: The Valencia striker has scored 100 goals in 165 games over the past four seasons but at 27 he is beyond United's pale. Photograph: Pierre-philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images

Samuel Eto'o: Available and a target for Manchester City – he has scored as many goals as David Villa over the past four seasons but he will not be United's answer to their centre-forward conundrum. Photograph: Lluis Gene/AFP/Getty Images

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The mercurial Inter striker will be 28 in October. Barcelona want him to replace Samuel Eto'o but United's hands are tied. Photograph: Adam Ihse / Scanpix/AP