United target Papadopoulos signs new Schalke deal

Manchester United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Kyriakos Papadopoulos after the Greece international signed a new deal with FC Schalke 04. TalkSPORT have confirmed that the 20-year-old has agreed a contract extension until 2016, despite Sir Alex Ferguson a keen admirer of the powerful defender.

United have been handed a series of defensive blows in recent weeks, with the latest seeing Nemanja Vidic ruled out for eight weeks with a knee injury. He is joined by Chris Smalling and Phil Jones on the sidelines, with Michael Carrick often called upon to slot in at centre-back.

Ferguson had hoped to move for Papadopoulos in January, should his defensive crisis worsen, but any deal will now prove impossible. The Scot was impressed with the young defender when the two sides met in the semi-final of the Champions League in 2011.