With just hours left before the summer transfer window closes, Manchester City have launched an unexpected bid in excess of GBP 30 million to hijack Dimitar Berbatov's expected move to local rivals United, British media report.

In the transfer saga of the summer the Bulgarian football star was widely believed to be moving to Manchester United before City's late intervention.

Earlier on Monday City owner Thaksin Shinawatra agreed to sell a major share of his stake in the club to the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, just a year after buying the club.

It is believed that the "first instruction to the Blues was to try and lure Berbatov" Manchester Evening News newspaper reported.

"The audacious move is bound to rile United, even if Berbatov goes to Old Trafford as expected," the article reads.

City are likely to comfortably meet the asking price of GBP 30 million, while differences over the value of the player between Sir Alex Ferguson and the Tottenham management were previously holding up the deal.

The Blues may also try to use their winger Martin Petrov, who is a close friend to Berbatov, to persuade his international team-mate to come to City.

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