The battle to sign Jadon Sancho is likely to be one of the summer transfer window's big talking points.
Sancho has been in blistering form for Borussia Dortmund this season and in scoring a hat-trick against Paderborn on Sunday became the youngest player in Europe's top five leagues to register 15 goals and 15 assists in a league campaign since Opta began recordings stats in 2006.
Dortmund do not want to lose on of their most prized assets, but they are bracing themselves for significant interest once the 2019/20 campaign has ended.
Chelsea and Manchester United have both been linked with a move this summer, but Dortmund will not be selling on the cheap.
The coronavirus crisis has had a huge effect on clubs' spending prowess and there is likely to be much less spent on transfer this summer than has previously been splurged.
And that could work in Dortmund's favour in trying to keep hold of Sancho for another season.
Reports earlier in the season suggested United were close to completing a deal for Sancho, with Old Trafford thought to be his preferred destination.
But United have made the decision to look elsewhere for alternative options, in case they cannot tie up a deal for Sancho.
According to our friends at the Manchester Evening News, United have identified teenage Argentine winger Thiago Almada as a possible transfer alternative.
The report states that United's recruitment team "are monitoring a raft of potential targets in case their interest in Borussia Dortmund star Sancho bears no fruit".
Almada is a 19-year-old who plies his trade in the Argentinian league with Velez Sarsfield.
Sancho, however, remains one of United's top transfer priorities, despite the club looking at alternative options.
If United do give up on Sancho, it would leave the way clear for Chelsea to make their move for the young Englishman during the summer months.
