Manchester United Transfer News: Mahmoud Dahoud Battle with City, Latest Rumours

Manchester United are reportedly set to go head-to-head with Manchester City over the signing of Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud in the summer.

Pep Guardiola is keen to make the 20-year-old his first signing as manager of the Sky Blues, but United and Serie A giants Juventus are also interested, according to German outlet Bild (via Luke Gardener in the Daily Star).

Despite his youth, Syrian-born Dahoud has been a key player for Gladbach this season, making 19 Bundesliga appearances in central midfield and returning two goals and four assists, per WhoScored.com.

BT Sport's Derek Rae is expecting great things from the Germany under-19 international:

Dahoud is very comfortable on the ball and has shown a maturity this season beyond his years, while he is also a combative player and could likely hold his own in the Premier League.

He is unlikely to be let go cheaply by Gladbach, not least because he has no release clause in his contract, which runs until 2018, per Bild (via Sport Witness).

In any battle with City over Dahoud's signature, United would likely come out worse, as the Red Devils do not look as though they will be able to offer Champions League football next season.

Furthermore, the central midfielder would surely be strongly attracted to the possibility of working under Pep Guardiola—although United could redress the balance by hiring Jose Mourinho, per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones: 

United are currently not short on central midfielders, but the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick are drawing to the end of their careers.

Dahoud would be a very exciting young addition to the side, but it seems as though United will have to work hard to sign him up.

Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

Elsewhere, it looks as though the Red Devils will also struggle in their mooted attempt to sign Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, as the Foxes are preparing to offer him an improved contract to keep him at the King Power Stadium, per Charlie Wyett in the Sun.

United remain in danger of losing No. 1 David de Gea to Real Madrid in the summer as he is still Los Blancos' prime target following the suspension of their transfer ban, per AS (via the Irish Independent).

Per the Sun's Martin Lipton, Schmeichel, son of United legend Peter, was being lined up to replace the Spaniard. But if he signs a new deal with Leicester, the Old Trafford outfit will have to look elsewhere.