Who would pay £22 million for a goalkeeper. Well, it would seem Fergie is prepared to do so. Manchester United are preparing a £22 million bid for Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes.The People says Sir Alex Ferguson is desperate to sign a long-term replacement for Edwin van der Sar with Ben Foster still considering his future at Old Trafford. The United boss sees Valdes as a top quality replacement and cannot, yet, offer Foster the first-team football he craves in his bid to make England's World Cup team. The Barcelona keeper's current deal finishes in June 2010, and, having rejected the chance to open talks on a new contract, Fergie hopes the lure of Premier League football can snatch him away from La Liga.
Valdes is a product of the Barca youth system. In the 2003–04 season, he emerged as first-choice goalkeeper, and in the 2004–05 season, he played in almost all of Barcelona's matches helping Barcelona to their first league title in six years. He also won the Zamora Trophy for the best goalkeeper in Spain.
In the 2005–06 season, he helped Barça to the double. He played a big part in Barca's UEFA Champions League 2005–06 title and in the final against Arsenal, he denied Thierry Henry twice from point-blank range. His efforts saw him singled out for praise from Coach Frank Rijkaard. The "Zamora" title however eluded him as Víctor came third after Santiago Cañizares and the winner José Manuel Pinto.
On 17 June 2007, the last round in La Liga, Valdés matched a goalkeeping record of Barcelona legend Andoni Zubizarreta. The record held by Zubi is that he went all season long, all 38 rounds in La Liga without leaving the starting line-up nor getting substituted. It has never been matched, by any Barça goalkeeper, until Valdés.
Valdés set the FC Barcelona club record for not conceding a goal in European competition with a clean sheet against Rangers on 7 November 2007, which saw him re-write the Barça record books after not conceding a goal for 466 minutes. Unfortunately Valdés was beaten twice by Lyon's captain Juninho through a 45-yard free kick then a late penalty at the Stade de Gerland.
On 1 April 2008 he made his 250th appearance for Barça. Despite being a regular in the squad, he has never played for Spain, with Iker Casillas of Real Madrid and José Manuel Reina of Liverpool the preferred goalkeepers.
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