Mehdi Benatia
Manchester United to focus on Mehdi Benatia

Manchester United have reportedly contacted the agent of AS Roma centre half Mehdi Benatia as the club consider life after Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.

The Premier League champions will lose skipper Vidic at the end of his contract this summer with a move to Inter "90 percent" complete while his long term defensive partner Ferdinand is also expected to leave with no sign of a new deal on the horizon.

While Moyes has indicated that his replacement for Vidic lies in one of his current options of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans, the club are expected to add to their defensive options to supplement the loss of the veteran duo.

According to Italian news outlet Sport Mediaset, United have already begun to weigh up their options and have made contact with Benatia's agent to discover whether he would be interested in a move to Old Trafford.

However, Roma are unlikely to be interested in listening to offers for their centre half. The 26-year-old arrived from Udinese just last year and remains integral to Rudi Garcia's long term plans at the club, having signed a five year contract upon his arrival at the Stadio Olimpico.

But United have already demonstrated their willingness to break their bank in order to address the shortcomings in their squad, and will be expected to do as such when it comes to filling the void left by two of the club's most influential figures.

United's last remaining hope of silverware this season comes as the sizeable task of winning the Champions League, a feat they last accomplished in 2008, and they will resume their campaign against Olymiakos on Tuesday evening.

After playing an integral role in that triumph six years ago, Vidic insists leaving the club with the trophy in his hands once again is a real possibility.

"Olympiakos is a tough game away from home. It is hostile and difficult to play there, but if we get a good result we can come back to Old Trafford and finish the game," Vidic said following the weekend win over Crystal Palace, the Daily Telegraph report.

"It is the only trophy we can win now, but we have done well in the Champions League so far this season.

"If we play solid like we did against Palace and keep our shape, I think we will be a hard team to beat.

"We always have people who can score goals and that is the way you play in the Champions League – be hard to beat, but be able to score."