Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United have reportedly made last-ditch attempts to sign Lille centre-back Sven Botman.
The 22-year-old revealed last month that he expects to leave the Ligue 1 outfit this summer, with both AC Milan and Newcastle United having been strongly linked with the Dutchman.
According to La Repubblica, Newcastle have had an offer for Botman accepted by Lille, but the Italian giants have moved ahead of the Magpies in the race for defender's signature as he has already agreed personal terms over a five-year contract to move to San Siro.
The Rossoneri are now hoping to quickly conclude the deal, but the report adds that there could be another twist in the saga as both Arsenal and Man United have made enquiries within "the last few hours" over the player's availability.
Arsenal are seemingly prioritising attacking reinforcements this summer, following the departure of Alexandre Lacazette, but Mikel Arteta may be keen to bolster his defensive options now that they have qualified for Europe, with more games to be added to their fixture schedule.
Man United, meanwhile, are set to make wholesale changes under Erik ten Hag, who is believed to have mentioned compatriot Botman during discussions with director of football John Murtough.
Botman, who has also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain, has made a total of 76 appearances for Lille across all competitions since joining the club in 2020.
Oliver Thomas
