ALAN SHEARER is on his way to Manchester United in an amazing £19 million swap deal involving fellow striker Andy Cole, according to a report in today's Sun.

Blackburn would pick up £12 million, plus £7 million rated Cole, in return for Shearer, who, according to the Sun, will become Britain's highest paid footballer on a salary of more than £20,000 a week.

Shearer (25) has become a national hero over the last fortnight and, despite England's European Championship semi final defeat by Germany on penalties last night, his five goals in the tournament are set to leave him the competition's top scorer.

Shearer's reported transfer fee would more than double the current British record of £8.5 million, which Liverpool paid Nottingham Forest for Stan Collymore a year ago.

Having clinched the Double of Premiership title and FA Cup last season, United's next target is the European Cup and Cole's lack of goals since he moved from Newcastle for £7 million early in 1995 have put a question mark over those credentials.

Ironically, the Old Trafford outfit tried to sign Shearer from his previous club, Southampton, in 1992. Instead he accepted a more lucrative offer from Blackburn and moved to Ewood Park for £3.3 million. He has scored 37 goals in each of the past two seasons.