Man United and Man City poised for summer scrap to sign Seri

Manchester United and Manchester City are poised for a summer scrap to recruit Nice midfielder Jean-Michael Seri, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Reports on Monday said United boss Jose Mourinho would make freshening up his midfield a priority, with Seri high on a list of several targets.

But the Ivory Coast international is also admired by City manager Pep Guardiola, and now the Manchester rivals are set to go head-to-head for his signature.

The Evening News says United “will sign at least one midfielder to replace the retiring Michael Carrick, while City are looking for a long-term successor to Fernandinho.”

But City’s interest in Seri could spell the end of any move for Shakhtar Donetsk’s Fred, who seemed likely to join them in January, with the report suggesting his representatives “are no longer confident of a deal being resurrected.”

Meanwhile, the Mail reports that City striker Gabriel Jesus “is ready to put talks over a new contract on ice until the summer after turning down an offer of £90,000 a week.”

However, it says the Brazil international is still on course for an improved one-year extension until 2023, adding that “it is anticipated a compromise will be reached and he will commit his long-term future to the club.”

The player’s representatives are thought to believe he is “deserving of more than £100,000 a week,” but he wants to focus on the Premier League and Champions League, and then the World Cup, before turning his attention to his City deal.