BARCELONA want to make Wayne Rooney the world's most expensive footballer.

The Spanish and European champions are lining up an incredible £85million summer swoop for the Manchester United striker.

The Nou Camp club have identified the 24-year-old as the star of the next World Cup and have already put plans in motion to trump Real Madrid's capture of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Catalan giants believe United's massive debts mean they're under increasing pressure to consider bids for all their top players.

United's failure to pump the funds from Ronaldo's £80m sale back into the squad has provided a reminder the Old Trafford's club's finances are in a mess.

But as in the case of Ronaldo, Rooney himself will hold the key to any successful bid from the Nou Camp.

The Scouser has never expressed a desire to move abroad and with wife Coleen just having given birth to their first child, Barca's bid will give him a huge dilemma.

United had no choice but to surrender to Ronaldo's desire to go to the Bernabeu, but Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping Rooney is less inclined to leave.

The England forward is now seen as the focal point of the United team and Fergie would fight even harder to keep Rooney than he did Ronaldo.

Rooney suggested this week he wanted to stay at Old Trafford for life.

However, the prospect of joining up with the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta under manager Pep Guardiola is sure to be tempting.

Manchester United and Chelsea have been put on red alert after Benfica revealed they are willing to sell star winger Angel Di Maria.

Argentine star Di Maria, 21, shone in Benfica’s two victories over Everton in the Europa League.

Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen has seen him in action, while United are also looking to strengthen their squad in January.

Di Maria would relish the chance to play at the highest level for one of the top clubs in Europe before the World Cup in South Africa.

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira admits they have already received several big offers.

Vieira said: “There are offers from several important teams. Our goal is to win the championship and we can only achieve this if we keep our best players.

“But I admit maybe we should sell the player.”

MANCHESTER UNITED boss Sir Alex Ferguson has earmarked three rising stars as possible January transfer window targets.

Ferguson witnessed two of them at close hand on Tuesday night, CSKA Moscow keeper Igor Akinfeev and right-sided midfielder Milos Krasic, who scored in the 3-3 Champions League draw between the sides.

Also on the Ferguson signings radar is emerging Danish international central defender Simon Kjaer, whose performances for Italian Serie A side Palermo are attracting the attention of top clubs.

Ferguson knows he will have to move quickly to land any of Them because both CSKA and Palermo are coming under increasing pressure to sell. Russian international keeper Akinfeev is high up on the list of stoppers that Ferguson is chasing as he looks for a long-term replacement for Edwin van der Sar, 39.

They include German duo Manuel Neuer from Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen’s Rene Adler. CSKA’s tricky wideman Krasic is a Serbian international team-mate of United defender Nemanja Vidic and has a host of Europe’s top clubs on his trail.

Neither 23-year-old Akinfeev, who became Russia’s youngest international at the age of 18 years and 20 days, or Krasic, 25, would come cheaply.

But Danish defender Kjaer, 20, has a £6million get-out clause in his contract – quite a reasonable fee for a player who is talked about in glowing terms in his native country. Again he has a number of admirers, with AC Milan expected to be United’s biggest rivals.

Ferguson is ready, however, to make his moves the moment the January transfer window opens. United face Chelsea today with Fergie believing the London club have the right man in former Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti – someone who won’t be intimidated by the memory of Jose Mourinho, winner of two Premier League titles. Avram Grant and World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari have perished trying to replace Mourinho, but Fergie said: “I don’t think Carlos will be one bit worried about that.

“His own CV is impressive. He’s won two European Cups and Serie A. Ancelotti’s ability as a coach is unquestionable.”

ANDERSON: With his Audi sports car

SIR ALEX FERGUSON has ordered his Manchester United stars to curb their "lifestyle excesses" as part of a crackdown at the club.

The United boss wants all his players to be clean living and mindful of their public image.

One of Ferguson's major gripes is the £200,000 super car culture that was part of the Cristiano Ronaldo era.

And that is bad news for the likes of Brazilian midfielder Anderson, the proud owner of a white £100,000 Audi R8.

United's Carrington training ground has often resembled a super car showroom in the past few seasons.

There was even an unofficial competition between some of the players to buy the latest super car to show off in front of their team-mates.

Prior to his summer switch to Real Madrid, Ronaldo was right at the centre of the United car club and was always the first with flashy, new motors.

He infamously wrote off a Ferrari 599 GTB on the way to training in January, but luckily escaped unhurt.

But Fergie has now told his players to tone down their status symbols, particularly during the current financial crisis.

In response, many of United's players have taken up the option to drive sensible Audi club cars which are provided by United's sponsor.

Fergie, who grew tired of the players' excessive displays of wealth, changes cars every three months as part of the agreement with Audi.

Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick are among a number of other players at the club who have taken up the Audi option.

Gary Neville was the first to turn his back on the super car culture and now turns up to training in an eco- friendly Toyota Prius.

Owen Hargreaves, who is still battling back from his tendinitis condition, now rolls into the training ground in a Mini Cooper.

That change of culture has met with Fergie's approval after years of excess among his United squad.

It is part of a series of wide-ranging measures being implemented at United as they attempt to maintain their world- renowned reputation.

Two weeks ago, the reigning Premier League champions brought in measures to prevent 'non-essential' staff eating free porridge and toast from the staff canteen at Carrington.

The number of employees working at United's training HQ has risen to over 100 in the last few years and United are intent on making the cutbacks.