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Manchester United offer to pay Ezequial Garay £6m a year
MANCHESTER UNITED are to try and entice Ezequiel Garay away from Benfica by offering him a staggering £6m annual salary.
United are reported to have a 'gentleman's agreement' with Benfica to sign the Argentinian, although formal talks between the two clubs are reportedly yet to take place.
Reports have suggested that United would be willing to pay a £17m transfer fee to Benfica but the package could end up costing them considerably more depending on the length of the contract offered.
According to Goal.com United will offer the former Real Madrid defender £115k-a-week in wages, representing a substantial pay increase on his current deal with Benfica.
Garay joined Benfica as part of the deal that saw Fabio Coentrao joined Madrid and helped guide the club to the Europa League final last season.
The 26-year-old was also an ever-present as Benfica finished runners-up in the Portuguese Liga to Porto.
David Moyes is looking to add to his defensive options this summer as cover for Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, who both spent large parts of last season out injured.
Indeed, Vidic did not travel on United's pre-season tour as he battles sciatica, and Chris Smalling, another defender, also remained behind due to an ongoing foot problem.
In addition to Ferdinand, Vidic and Smalling, Garay would join Phil Jones and Johnny Evans as options at the heart of United's defence next season.