Manchester United are looking to steal a march on Arsenal in their bid to sign Thiago Almada, reports TuttoMercatoWeb.
The youngster has been linked with a move to Arsenal over the past few weeks and he appears closer to a Premier League move now that Manchester United have been added into the mix.
The same report states that he has a release clause of around £25 million on his current deal, but the Red Devils have contacted his team hoping to make the move happen for around £18 million.
Arsenal’s reputation to give chances to the junior players in their team could play in their advantage in this battle.
The Gunners have given opportunities to the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Reiss Nelson this season, and Mikel Arteta seems to prefer playing the younger players.
The Spaniard knows that Arsenal isn’t strong enough to compete, but he will look to offer Almada a promise of swift passage into the Premier League.
Born in 2001, Almada is one of the highest-rated youngsters in South America at the moment.
He has played 22 times for Vélez Sarsfield in the Argentinian Super Liga this season, scoring four goals.
He has a contract with his current team until 2023, so the Argentine side has the power to negotiate a good deal for themselves.
