Chelsea are close to completing the signing of Branislav Ivanovic, the €13.5 million-rated central defender from Lokomotiv Moscow.

The 23-year-old, a Serbia international, has been chased by a host of leading clubs, including Manchester United, Juventus and Ajax.

United, who already have one top Serbian player - Nemanja Vidic - in their squad had been considered the favourites to get Ivanovic but Chelsea, aided by the Moscow connections of their owner, Roman Abramovich, have moved to the fore.

Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, has struggled with injuries to his squad since he succeeded Jose Mourinho and he has concerns over John Terry, his captain and central defender.

Terry had already suffered two injury lay-offs this season when he broke three bones in his foot against Arsenal last month. He may end up being absent for more than two months and, with Ricardo Carvalho having also been undermined by injury, Grant has targeted Ivanovic.

The defender, who can also play at right-back, starred at last summer's European Under-21 Championship in the Netherlands, when he helped Serbia to reach the final. He has nine caps for the senior team. Lokomotiv have him tied to a long-term contract but they accept that he is destined to play for one of Europe's top clubs and want to receive what they believe to be his full value.

Grant does have Alex and Tal Ben Haim as central defensive options yet neither has convinced since arriving last summer while Michael Essien, the midfielder who can occupy the position, will depart next week for African Cup of Nations duty with Ghana. He could be away until the second week of February.

Grant also wants to strengthen in other areas. He has an interest in Luka Modric, the Croatia playmaker, and the Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka. Manchester City would like to take Anelka back but the Frenchman would prefer a move to one of the top four clubs.

Old Trafford is like a "police state" which leaves supporters paralysed by fear, a spokesman from the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association claimed yesterday.

United manager Alex Ferguson compared the atmosphere at Tuesday's Premier League win over Birmingham to a funeral, urging fans to back the team more vocally. Those comments have upset the IMUSA's Colin Hendrie, who accused Ferguson of "a lack of understanding" of the plight supporters face.

"I think he could benefit from sitting in the ground," said Hendrie, who believes Old Trafford stewards come down too hard on fans who stand at moments of excitement.

"You can't stand up to make a noise. If you try to stand up, you've got stewards who are ejecting you, they're taking your season ticket away from you.

"It's almost like a police state in a football ground now and if you do stand up, people will take your arm, put it behind the back of your neck and throw you out of the ground.

"Under those circumstances, what atmosphere does he (Ferguson) want? The only atmosphere we've got is one where we're a little bit frightened of losing £1,000 for the season ticket we've paid for."

The noise level in the stadium, as United laboured to a 1-0 win, was non-existent at times, a fact gleefully pointed out by the visiting Birmingham fans.