The two Manchester clubs are preparing to go head-to-head in a bid to sign Belgian teenager
Zakaria Bakkali who has already been compared to Eden Hazard.
The 17-year-old has only played eight games for PSV Eindhoven but is unable to sign a professional contract in Holland until he is 18, despite the Dutch club opening negotiations on a three-year deal, according to the Sunday Mirror.
He is the youngest ever player to score a hat-trick in the Eredivisie against NEC Nijmegen at the age of 17 years and 196 days.
VIDEO: Scroll down to watch the Belgium teenager’s hat-trick
Arsenal have also expressed an interest in the youngster and can now compete on financial terms with the spending power of United and City.
Bakkali was called up to the Belgian national team for the recent games against Croatia and Wales after injury prevented him from making his international debut earlier this year.
Belgium manager Marc Wilmots has likened the attacking midfielder to his international teammate and Chelsea forward Hazard.
‘Zakaria is a player who scores easily, is very fast and has skilful dribbling,’ he said to the Express.
‘Zakaria has just about the same profile as Eden [Hazard]. If something happens to Eden, I will swap him [for Bakkali].’
