Manchester United are reportedly considering a shock £30m move for Chelsea defender David Luiz.

The Brazil international won over his critics last season and has been attracting interest from a host of top European clubs this summer, with Barcelona understood to have a €25m bid knocked back by the Blues earlier this month.

According to the Mirror, the Red Devils are now weighing up an approach for Luiz, as David Moyes starts his search for long-term replacements for veteran centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

David Luiz
United are understood to be keen on Luiz (Reuters)

Luiz - who joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2011 for €25m, plus Nemanja Matic - can also operate as a central midfielder; a position Moyes has been extremely keen to strengthen before the end of this transfer window.

However, the Blues seem determined to hold on to the 26-year-old for now and it's unlikely they would sell the player to title rivals United, unless Moyes is ready to offer Jose Mourinho's top summer target Wayne Rooney in exchange.

The report claims Moyes believes Mourinho is not an ardent admirer of Luiz's flamboyant but risky style of play at the back and the Scot is confident a significant offer may tempt the Portuguese tactician to consider the sale.

Luiz has been struggling with a nagging hamstring injury that has kept him out of action so far this season.

Meanwhile, England manager Roy Hodgson feels Monday's goalless draw between United and Chelsea at Old Trafford was the best game he has seen this season.

The stalemate was considered a dull affair by both pundits and fans, as both sides remained on the back foot throughout the game and failed to create much chances in front of goal.

"It's by far and away the best game of the games I've seen, I thought there were some outstanding individual performances and what really was brought home to me was the unbelievably high level of skill at the top of the Premier League," Hodgson stressed.

"You had to be some player to take part in that game because the pressurising was fantastic, players were doubled up on all the time and the passing and control was excellent so I really enjoyed the game, I'm sad to hear that other people didn't think it was a good game, I'm obviously out of sync," the former Liverpool boss added.