LONDON -- Manchester United is closing in on signing Juan Mata after bidding 37 million pounds ($61 million) for the Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata, the teams first move in the January transfer window. United is waiting for its English Premier League rival to sign off on the club-record deal for the 25-year-old Spain international, a person close to negotiations said on Thursday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized. Mata is yet to have a medical examination at United, which is in no rush to complete the deal as its next match is not until Tuesday against Cardiff. The transfer would eclipse the 30.7 million pounds United paid to sign striker Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham in 2008, and show that the American owners are willing to spend to revitalize a struggling team. Matas move could speed up now Chelsea has struck a deal with Swiss club Basel to sign Mohamed Salah. The Egypt midfielder still has to agree to personal terms and pass a medical with the London club. In a sign that Matas departure from Chelsea is nearing after falling out of favour, the clubs player of the year for the last two seasons did not train with the first team on Wednesday. "He has great skill, great imagination, flair and goal-scoring ability," former United defender Gary Pallister said. "A lot of people cant quite understand why he has not been in Jose Mourinhos team after being player of the year for the last two seasons. "He is the kind of player Manchester United fans want to see ... and can get people off their seats in anticipation of the things he can do with a football." Signing Mata would be a coup for United manager David Moyes, and lift some of the gloom surrounding recent performances. The bright spot is still remaining in Champions League contention going into the round of 16 against Olympiakos next month. But the team is seventh in the league, 14 points behind leader Arsenal, and facing a fight to secure one of the four Champions League places. Having already exited the FA Cup, United missed out on a spot in the League Cup final on Wednesday when Sunderland won a penalty shootout at Old Trafford. One fan was so distressed about the loss that he called an emergency number and asked to speak to former manager Alex Ferguson, who retired in May after more than 26 trophy-filled years in charge of United. "Last night, at approximately 10:30 p.m. a man from the Crumpsall area of north Manchester rang 999 in a drunken state demanding to speak to Sir Alex Ferguson about last nights result," Greater Manchester Police said on one of its Facebook pages. "Obviously, it can be a sad and depressing moment when your football team loses a game, however can we all please remember that 999 is to be used for emergencies only." Dante Exum Jazz Jersey . -- Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick shot a second-round 69 to take the lead after 36 holes and former LPGA great Annika Sorenstam and Chad Pfeifer, who lost his left leg above the knee serving in Iraq, are among several players in contention in the American Century Championship tournament on Saturday. Donovan Mitchell Jazz Jersey .C. United have acquired midfielder Alex Caskey from the Seattle Sounders for a third-round pick in the 2016 MLS draft. http://www.jazzauthentic.com/kids-adrian...ey-jazz-jersey/. -- Conner Bleackley got it done in regulation time and in the shootout. John Stockton Jersey . The Brazilian international goalkeeper was beaten twice in the first 12 minutes of his Reds debut in a 3-1 preseason loss to Columbus Crew in Florida earlier this week. Karl Malone Jersey . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U.HOUSTON - The Houston Texans have placed top overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney on the injured reserve two days after he had microfracture surgery on his right knee.The surgery was the second this season for the outside linebacker. He had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee after being injured in Week 1.He played three games since the first procedure but continued to struggle with pain and swelling in his kneee before deciding to have the second surgery.ddddddddddddThe move ends a tough rookie year for the 21-year-old who had sports hernia surgery in the off-season and a concussion in training camp before injuring his knee in his first NFL game.Houston signed linebacker Jason Ankrah from the practice squad to take his spot on the roster.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '