After two months worth of stops, starts, ups and downs, United appear closer than ever to landing the attacking midfield playmaker that manager Sir Alex Ferguson has sought all summer long and makes this club even more of a force on the international scene than it was previously.
According to a Mirror Football report, Inter Milan have accepted United's formal bid for the playmaking Dutchman, meaning all that is left to do is get Sneijder to agree to personal terms.
The deal isn't quite done as of yet. Sneijder is reportedly less than keen on taking a straight pay cut from his current £250,000 per week wages to United's current £190,000 per week offer.
But according to the report, United are hoping that a deal can be reached by the end of the week thanks to the sliding pay scale they're incorporating into the deal.
In it, Sneijder is paid a large base salary with incentives and signing bonuses spread throughout the contract to bring the total wage close to what he was paid at Inter. From there, he can also get better funding for his image rights, which are more lucrative in English football than they are in Serie A.
If United can seal the deal, it will bring an end to one of the longest, strangest transfer battles of the summer.
The 27-year-old Dutchman was at or near the top of Ferguson's wish list all summer, but it was never clear whether Inter wanted to sell, Sneijder wanted to leave or United was willing to pay to get him.
At one point several weeks ago, it appeared that Sneijder was bound for Old Trafford, only for the report to be scuppered by Inter and Sneijder. Now however, it appears that Ferguson is actually close to bringing his dream midfielder into the fold.
By landing Sneijder, Ferguson has filled the final need in his club's lineup. The 27-year-old midfield maestro is a playmaker extraordinaire, with a balanced game predicated on ball control.
He's incredibly skilled at beating his man off the dribble, and his work ethic is fantastic. He's a skilled passer who will immediately boost United's ability to create and take chances out of the midfield, and his nose for goal will make him a fantastic addition to the club.
Sneijder is the perfect fit for United's midfield. He's capable of filling the playmaking role that has been vacant at Old Trafford over the last couple of seasons and delivers fantastic passes and crosses with regularity.
His shot is as formidable as that of many strikers, and he's been known to hit goals from distance, as well.
Even the Dutchman's defense figures to bolster United's efforts. He's a surprisingly solid tackler and is skilled at dispossessing opponents. He's a leader on the pitch and should contend for the captain's armband as soon as he gets onto the pitch. He's a true midfield maestro and orchestrated the attack at Inter brilliantly.
Sticking him in United's midfield makes the unit much more dangerous and versatile.
Suddenly, the club can throw Sneijder and Ashley Young into the central midfield, with Antonio Valencia and Nani on the wing to ramp up the attack or use Sneijder, Michael Carrick, Valencia and Young for a slightly more defensive look, with Ryan Giggs and Nani ready to step in as energizers off the bench.
There's nothing wrong with adding Sneijder to United's fold. His temperament is perfectly suited to United's locker room, and his drive to win should fit perfectly with that of Wayne Rooney and company.
He's a fantastic player who is at a world-class level, and he'll be capable of making a serious impact at Old Trafford if United finish the deal off.
He's the perfect player to stick in United's midfield, and while he won't come cheaply (his fee is believed to be in the £35 million range), his world-class skills make him well worth the price tag.
Source: Bleacher Report
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