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Abdelhak Nouri of Ajax during the 1/8 final Europa Youth League match between Ajax U19 and AS Roma U19 on February 24, 2015 at De Toekomst in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Abdelhak Nouri of Ajax during the 1/8 final Europa Youth League match between Ajax U19 and AS Roma U19 on February 24, 2015 at De Toekomst in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)VI-Images/Getty Images

Manchester United Transfer News: Wonderkid Abdelhak Nouri Eyed in Fresh Rumours

Rob BlanchetteDec 2, 2015

Manchester United will battle Arsenal for Ajax teenage sensation Abdelhak Nouri after manager Louis van Gaal took a "personal interest" in the player's capture. 

Sami Mokbel of the MailOnline said the 18-year-old prodigy is "one of the most promising prospects in Dutch football," and the Red Devils and the Gunners have been scouting his progress. 

Arsenal chief scout Steve Rowley has ran the rule over the attacking midfielder on several occasions, according to Mokbel, but it is Van Gaal's close links to his former club that could give United the edge. 

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A host of clubs have now been alerted to Nouri's ability. Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Everton have shown interest, as well as Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille, per Mokbel. 

(L-R) Jose Machin Dicombo of AS Roma, Abdelhak Nouri of Ajax during the 1/8 final Europa Youth League match between Ajax U19 and AS Roma U19 on February 24, 2015 at De Toekomst in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)

The player is of Moroccan descent but has represented the Netherlands' under-19 side, captaining the team at the 2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. 

Van Gaal is famous for his attitude towards youth, having developed one of Ajax's greatest teams from teenage homegrown talent.

LvG continued his philosophy at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, giving starts to the likes of Xavi and Thomas Muller at each club, placing his faith in their teenage ability.

The United boss has also given his support for Anthony Martial to lead the line at Old Trafford and provided Jesse Lingard an opportunity to stake a claim. 

Martial has scored three times in his nine Premier League appearances, according to WhoScored.com, and United need to continue to purchase further attacking talents to support the Frenchman. 

Nouri has the ability to feature as an attacking midfielder or left winger, but he also has the capacity to sit deeper in the centre. United have struggled to find a player who can fill the berth on the left side of attack as Memphis Depay attempts to settle in the Premier League. 

United have also been linked with Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is in sensational form in the Bundesliga, per Andrew Richardson of the Sun.

The Gabon international is the top scorer in Germany with 17 goals, ahead of such luminaries as Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski, per WhoScored.

Manchester United's Dutch manager Louis van Gaal (C) watches his players druing a team training session in Manchester, north west England, on November 24, 2015, ahead of their UEFA Champions League Group B football match against PSV Eindhoven on November

The Red Devils are in need of fresh attacking players to inject motivation into their performances, and reports suggest the team are becoming tired of Van Gaal's negative tactics. 

Neil Custis of the Sun said the team are unhappy with life at Old Trafford and a "distinctive gloominess" is passing throughout the squad:

"

He (Van Gaal) can point to a CV of success that backs up his stringent philosophy and, of course, the current Premier League table in which his side sit a point off the top. 

But the players and supporters are not happy.

The structure and training around matches remains the same every week and it is starting to get the players down.

"
BURY, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 05: Abdelhak Nouri of Netherlands U18 controls the ball from Ryan Ledson of England U18 during the U18 International Friendly match between England U18 and Netherlands U18 at JD Stadium on September 5, 2014 in Bury, England. (Pho

Nouri could be fast-tracked at United if Van Gaal can grab the player soon from the hands of Ajax.

The team need a new burst of creativity, and the Dutch player could be well-positioned to provide it. 

Adnan Januzaj was expected to be United's next great youth product, but at 18, Nouri is ready to break his way into senior football and could take the place currently vacated by the Belgium international.

Januzaj continues to struggle to get game time on loan at Borussia Dortmund and could find the route back to United fraught with complications. 

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