Manchester United Transfer News: Jorginho Targeted Amid Liverpool Rumours

Manchester United are reportedly set to go head-to-head with Premier League rivals Liverpool for the signing of Napoli central midfielder Jorginho.

According to Giovanni Scotto of Italian outlet Calciomercato (h/t Dan Gibbs in the Express), United—along with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain—are interested in making a January move for the 23-year-old Brazilian.

Per Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport (via the Express' Izzy Horsefield), Napoli would demand a fee of "between £14.8 million and £22.2 million" for Jorginho, who has also caught the eye of new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Jorginho has impressed for Napoli playing as a deep-lying playmaker and he is likely seen by Red Devils manager Louis van Gaal as a replacement for the ageing Michael Carrick.

He is an excellent reader of the game and his temperament makes him an effective focal point in the centre of the park.

While United added significant strength to their midfield in the summer with the purchases of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, they will need further depth as Carrick's career draws to a close.

At 23, Jorginho would be an excellent long-term buy who could be an integral part of the Old Trafford setup for the next decade.

In their most recent outing in the Premier League United were blitzed early on in a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal. 

Per tactics expert Michael Cox, Schweinsteiger struggled on that occasion as United were overrun in midfield:

Schneiderlin would perhaps have been the more obvious starter at the Emirates, but should United also bring Jorginho in, Van Gaal will have even more options in the team's engine room, and he will be able to adapt accordingly based on the opposition.

Carrick has long been a stalwart of the United midfield and the Red Devils have benefitted hugely from having him in the squad. But he can no longer play every game. 

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Jorginho could be the Englishman's ideal successor, and along with Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger, he could form an effective central-midfield unit.

However, there is no guarantee that United will get their man as he has piqued the interest of numerous other top clubs. 

Liverpool may not be a huge problem if it comes down to a bidding war—United have shown of late that they are more than willing to splash the cash–but PSG could prove tough opposition in any financial battle.