Manchester UnitedΒ are hoping to capitalise on their rival's misfortune this summer by signingΒ Olympique Lyonnais talisman Nabil Fekir, according to reports in France.
The 24-year-old was tipped to joinΒ LiverpoolΒ earlier this summer but the Reds attempted to playΒ hardball with the French club in the eleventhΒ hour of negotiations, causingΒ βLes Gones to pull out of the deal - leaving the Reds with egg on their face.
And now bitter rivals Manchester United will look to get one over on the Merseyside club by bringing Fekir to Old Trafford. Lyon based daily Le Progrès claims that the Red Devils have already launched an offer for the France international this summer.
Former Ligue 1 champions Lyon are having somewhat of a mass exodus this summer.Β Sergi Darder is the most experienced player to leave theΒ Groupama Stadium, but youngsters Mouctar Diakhaby and Jean-Philippe Mateta have also moved on to join Valencia and Mainz respectively.
French journalist Romain Collet-Gaudin has also claimed that the interest could result in Liverpool upping their previous bid for Fekir, as the player still wishes to play for the Reds.
But Lyon's most notable departure is that of 16-year-old wonderkidΒ Willem Geubbels, who has left the club to join AS Monaco for Β£18m.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have been keeping themselves busy with incomings this summer. The club have signed teenage defender Diogo Dalot from FC Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk's Fred for a combined Β£73m, but their pursuit of Fekir could take the club's spending into nine figures.
United's attempts to sign Fekir could also put their hopes of bringingΒ Sergej MilinkoviΔ-SaviΔ to Old Trafford to bed. The Serbia international is expected to leave Lazio this summer, butΒ JuventusΒ are now the favourites for his signature.