Manchester United do have the “upper hand” on Chelsea in the battle to secure the signature of Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, according to ESPN.

The Blues’ ownership situation means the Red Devils can press ahead with a move for the France international. He is believed to be among the transfer targets that prospective new manager Erik ten Hag wants to sign but it won’t be a straightforward deal to complete.

Monaco are expected to demand between €60m (£49.6m) and €70m (£57.9m) for Tchouameni and, with other reports suggesting that Real Madrid and Liverpool are also keen on the 22-year-old, they will have a difficult time in persuading him to move to Old Trafford.

At the moment, it does look as though Champions League football won’t be on the cards next season, and while United’s name still carries a lot of weight, there are no guarantees that he would favour a switch to Manchester.