Chelsea are reportedly leading the two Manchester clubs in the race to sign 18-year-old Danubio forward Joaquin Ardaiz.
The youngster has three goals and two assists in 10 outings this year, which in turn has resulted in the three Premier League giants registering an interest, as reported by The Sun.
Further, it’s claimed that Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon are also keen, and so there is likely to be a scramble for his signing with a move to Europe clearly in his future.
Ardaiz was on target twice in the South American Under-20s Championship final against Ecuador this month, and he’ll be at the U20s World Cup in May to further showcase his abilities.
However, as noted in the report, Chelsea are in pole position to sign him according to English agent Nick Maytum, and due to the transfer fee being touted, he should be granted a work permit with few issues.
It remains a huge gamble at this stage though given the figures being suggested for a youngster who has not yet proven himself at the top level, and so the interested parties will have to rely on their scouts to ensure that this is a sensible move for the future.
With Chelsea on course to win the Premier League this year, Antonio Conte will be looking to bolster his squad where possible. In turn, supporters can expect some new faces in the summer but whether they’d be happy with an obscure signing such as Ardiaz remains to be seen.