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Arsenal were closing in last night on the most surprising transfer deal of the summer after making a firm approach to Manchester United about Mikaël Silvestre. The France defender had been expected to join either Manchester City or Sunderland this week after falling surplus to Sir Alex Ferguson’s requirements at Old Trafford, but instead, at the age of 31, he has been offered the chance to revive his career at the Emirates Stadium.

At various stages yesterday Silvestre appeared to be destined to cross the Manchester divide to join City or to tread the increasingly well-worn path from Old Trafford to Sunderland for a reunion with Roy Keane, his former United teammate, but over the course of the evening it emerged that Arsenal had joined - and looked like winning - the race for his signature.

Earlier in the summer Silvestre had rejected moves to Bordeaux and AS Roma, preferring to see out the final year of his contract at Old Trafford as a back-up defender, but the chance to join Arsenal is one he will not pass up if, as seems likely, United accept a £750,000 bid and allow him to discuss personal terms with the London club.

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No player has moved directly between United and Arsenal since Ferguson made Viv Anderson his first signing in 1987 and few would have identified Silvestre as a candidate to buck the trend. The defender quickly became a first-team regular after a £4 million move from Inter Milan in September 1999, impressing Ferguson with his form at left back or centre half, but his opportunities have been limited since the signings of Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra in January 2006. Silvestre had been unofficially available for transfer for at least 18 months before Arsène Wenger decided that his compatriot offered the necessary cover and experience for the Arsenal defence.

Dead certs

Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, is expected to draw some consolation from missing out on the defender by signing David Healy, the Northern Ireland forward, from Fulham. Healy had a medical yesterday and is expected to complete his move by the end of the week, with Dickson Etuhu, the midfield player, moving the other way.

West Bromwich Albion have secured a club-record £4.9 million deal to sign Borja Valero, the 23-year-old midfield player, from Real Mallorca, on a four-year deal after he passed a medical yesterday. West Brom also hope to sign Oscar Trejo, the 20-year-old Argentine forward, from the same Spanish club.

Another Real Mallorca midfield player, Jordi López, has joined Blackburn Rovers on trial.

Decent bets

Manchester City hope to secure the long-term future of Michael Johnson, the England Under-21 midfield player, after holding talks with his representatives yesterday. Johnson has attracted interest from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton, but he hopes to stay at City.

Derby County have signed Nacer Barazite, the 18-year-old Arsenal midfield player, on a one-month loan.

Everton are continuing their search for reinforcements, with Stéphane M’Bia, the Rennes and Cameroon forward, pleading yesterday with his employers to be allowed to move to join the Merseyside club.