Manchester United Defender Has Offers from Portugal and Turkey

Manchester United defender Alexander Buttner has been targeted by Benfica and Besiktas with both clubs keen to take the 24-year-old on a season long loan.

The Dutchman was brought to Old Trafford by Sir Alex Ferguson last summer as cover for Patrice Evra having sent Fabio da Silva out on loan to Queens Park Rangers.

Despite impressing in his Premier League debut against Wigan Athletic where he got his name on the score sheet and provided an assist, the left back made just three more Premier League starts for the club last season as he was largely confined to appearances in cup and low key European ties.

As United continue to be linked with a move for Everton's Leighton Baines, Buttner could find his opportunities even harder to come by under David Moyes in the new season.

But a move to either Portugal or Turkey could present the left back with the chance of a consistent first team role with the prospect of a call up to the Dutch World Cup squad still a possibility.

When quizzed on his client's future ahead of the new season, Buttner's manager Aleksandar Bursac told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: "It is true that Benfica and Besiktas want to hire him for a year."

United had a bid of £12m swiftly rejected by Everton for Baines earlier in the transfer window and it remains to be seen whether the club will return with an improved offer for the England international.

But according to Toffees manager Roberto Martinez, the Premier League champions will not attempt to lure the full back away from Goodison Park again, believing that Moyes has dropped his interest in his former player.

"Before we went to Austria one club officially contacted ourselves with an offer and it was a final offer," Martinez said yesterday.

"They put something over and the valuation wasn't anywhere near the quality of Leighton Baines. That was the end of it but since then there's been all the speculation, which has been part of what the transfer window is.

"There's never been another club or anyone else putting in an offer for Leighton. Since then we've moved on and we're continuing to focus on the start of the season."