Manchester United are keeping close tabs on Schalke midfielder Assan Ouedraogo, according to Sky Germany.

The German TV network has confirmed that the Red Devils “scouted” the teenager last week when the 17-year-old played the last 15 minutes of Schalke’s 1-1 draw against Fortuna Dusseldorf.

However, Erik ten Hag’s side are not believed to be the favourites for Ouedraogo’s signature, with Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig said to be leading the race at the moment.

Sky claims that other teams, including Stuttgart, Werder Bremen, Hoffenheim and Atalanta also remain in the hunt for the German youth international.

He has drawn comparisons to a former United player

The midfielder was originally linked with a move to Old Trafford at the end of last year, with some media outlets labelling him the “German Pogba”.

Whether those comparisons are fair, it remains to be seen, but Ouedraogo’s style of play does bear a resemblance to the French World Cup winner.

Other Premier League teams have been pursuing Ouedraogo

Both Chelsea and Liverpool have also been mentioned as potential suitors for the German but, based on Sky’s information, it seems United are the club that has retained the most interest in the player.

Under the guidance of technical director Jason Wilcox and new CEO Omar Berrada, the Red Devils are expected to focus their efforts on recruiting promising young players, and Ouedraogo would certainly fit into that category.

Even so, it’s fair to say that, currently, the midfielder is not ready to be a regular starter in the Premier League. He has only made 15 senior appearances so far, and his first season in the first team at Schalke has also been plagued by injuries.

If he does end up making the switch to Manchester, you would expect him to be loaned out in order to gain more first-team experience.