Manchester United are looking to steal a march on their Premier League rivals as they lead the race to sign £35m Nice ace Jean-Michael Seri.
The 26-year-old Ivorian is attracting interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City but according to the Mirror, Jose Mourinho's side are now in pole position for the midfielder's signature.
Seri's performances for Nice have seen him courted by Europe's elite and the midfielder was said to have been left in tears after a summer move to Barcelona collapsed.
Interest in Seri continues to accelerate as his contract, which has 18 months left to run, includes a £35m release clause which offers real affordability in the current transfer market.