Arsenal and Manchester United are reportedly set for a transfer battle to land teenage Sunderland star Logan Pye.
The teenage defender, who can play centrally or at full-back, is attracting serious interest and looks set to depart the North East for one of the Premier League's top clubs once he is old enough in the next transfer window.
The England Under 16s international has been tipped to move to Old Trafford but, according to The Sun , Arsenal are now leading the race to acquire his signature.
Pye, who will turn 16 in October, was linked with a United switch worth around £500,000 plus add-ons in the summer.
Pye would not be the first Sunderland youngster to leave the Black Cats academy for Arsenal, following centre-forward Sam Greenwood, who made the move last summer.
Greenwood, 17, signed professional terms with the Gunners last week after an impressive start to his career in north London, with Pye looking to follow in his footsteps if he makes the same move.
Unai Emery has focused on adding young talent to his squad as well as new first-team stars.
18-year-old French defender William Saliba is earmarked as one for the future after a big-money summer move from Saint-Etienne, where he has returned on loan.
The Gunners also signed Brazilian youngster Gabriel Martinelli, who was expected to start his career in the Under 23s but impressed enough to feature in the first-team setup.
Manchester United , meanwhile, have also added a host of exciting teenage talents.
They added French teenage Hannibal Mejbri, 16, in August - just a few months after signing his France Under 16 team-mate Noah Emeran.
Arsenal were linked with a move for Mejbri, who signed a deal from Monaco worth £4.6m which could rise to £9.3m with add-ons, but lost out to United, although they could now get their own back by winning the race for
