Manchester United hope to parade the Brazilian midfielder Kleberson alongside his compatriot Ronaldinho by the end of the week after opening negotiations with Atletico Paranaense over a £5.5 million transfer.
With talks over Ronaldinho's proposed £21.5 million move from Paris St-Germain nearing a successful conclusion, the United chief executive Peter Kenyon has held preliminary talks with Atletico officials aimed at signing Kleberson, whose arrival at Old Trafford would speed Juan Sebastian Veron's £14 million departure for Chelsea.
Kenyon met the Atletico president, Mario Celso Petraglia, over the weekend with further discussions planned today. The delegation from Curitiba had hoped to raise nearer £7.5 million for the 23-year-old - previously a target for Newcastle, Birmingham and Celtic - to eat into Paranaense's substantial debts. Yet they are prepared to compromise, with Leeds, the only other team to have expressed a firm interest, able to offer only £3 million of which only £1 million was to be paid up front.
"We had a plan regarding squad-building at the beginning of the year and we are well on our way to completing it," said Kenyon, who remains in talks with the PSG president Francis Graille over Ronaldinho's protracted switch from Paris.
"I am sure it will all come off and, when it does, we will have a squad for next season which is slightly stronger in terms of numbers than last year and one the manager is happy will compete both for domestic and European honours. We are in good shape and we hope this week will be an interesting news week."
United's confidence will dismay the Leeds manager Peter Reid, who was informed that initial talks with Petraglia last week had progressed well and hoped to spend a large proportion of the £3 million generated by Harry Kewell's sale to Liverpool on Kleberson. Leeds were prepared to offer the Brazilian about £15,000-a-week.
Now it appears the Yorkshire club have lost out to rivals across the Pennines yet again. Kleberson boasts 20 international caps and performed well during Brazil's largely unimpressive Confederations Cup campaign last month. His acquisition is likely to be swiftly followed by the completion of Veron's sale to Chelsea.
While Roman Abramovich and his advisers have yet to table a formal offer for the Argentinian, a deal has been struck which will see the 28-year-old depart for around £14 million, less than half the £28.1 million United paid to secure him from Lazio only two years ago.
Veron, who has three years to run on his contract, is still anxious to prove his worth at Old Trafford and will meet Alex Ferguson for talks today, though he is prepared to move on if the United manager sanctions the transfer.
"I think the player wants one more year at United," confirmed Veron's representative Fernando Hidalgo, a close colleague of the Israeli agent Pini Zahavi who has brokered the deal between the two clubs.
"He wants to repay the club for the faith they have shown in investing in him, and he wants to prove to Alex that he is still a good player. He will talk to Ferguson because he wouldn't want to leave if the manager still sees a future for him at the club.
"I think the talks planned between Veron and Ferguson will be critical as to whether Chelsea's interest in the player comes to anything."
Should Ferguson swallow his pride on a player he has steadfastly defended, despite his largely disappointing form since arriving from Serie A, United would attempt to finalise the sale by Saturday when they are due to travel to the United States on a four-match pre-season tour. By then, Ronaldinho should also have completed his move from PSG with Barcelona, United's main competitors, having set a midweek deadline for their interest in the 23-year-old to be taken any further.
"I am very confident the Ronaldinho transfer will happen, hopefully before we leave for the States," added Kenyon. "I was delighted to see that he came out and said he wanted to join us over the weekend, which is a good sign. "
