Manchester United transfer target Alessandro Nesta could be sold by Lazio.

Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti admits he may be forced to sell his �15m-rated club captain, the Italian sports press has reported.

Italy defender Nesta has spent his entire career at Lazio but with United, Real Madrid and Milan giants AC and Inter reportedly interested in acquiring him Cragnotti is poised to spark a transfer scramble.

Cragnotti, who recently admitted that his club's golden age was over, says he may have to offload the defender who was a revelation in Italy's Euro 2000 campaign.

"Nesta is not unsellable," said Cragnotti. "Whether he stays or goes depends on the strategy of the club in the close season."

Barring injury Nesta is a certain member of Giovanni Trapattoni's starting line-up for the 2002 World Cup in the centre of a three-man defence with Parma's Fabio Cannavaro on his right and AC Milan's Paolo Maldini on his left.

Born in the Roman suburb of Cinecitta associated with legendary film director Federico Fellini, Nesta is hugely popular with Lazio supporters as one of the club's few homegrown players.

Lazio coach Alberto Zaccheroni, apparently unaware of Cragnotti's comments, had said that Nesta and the club's Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo would stay at the club.