Manchester United are reportedly set to win the race to sign young Brazilian prospect Gabriel Barbosa this transfer window.
New United manager Jose Mourinho has already spent a reported £157m on new signings this summer - including a world-record £89m fee for Paul Pogba - and is now preparing to part with another £30m in order to bring Barbosa to Old Trafford.
The 19-year-old forward currently plies his trade with Santos and has impressed with his performances for the Brazil team that are competing at the Rio Olympics.
A host of top clubs across Europe have been linked with signing Barbosa this summer - including Inter Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Premier League champions Leicester City - but according to The Sun, United are in pole position after outbidding their rivals.
The Red Devils are said to have offered Santos £26m upfront for their star player, with a further £4m commission for his agent, and are confident of getting the deal over the line in the next 48 hours.
Mourinho is thought to view Barbosa as the ideal backup for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who followed Mourinho to Manchester on a free transfer this summer.
Neil Wilkes
