Scouts from Manchester United were present to monitor midfield target Jean-Michael Seri during Nice’s 2-3 defeat to Lokomotiv Moscow on Thursday night, according to reports from France.

Jose Mourinho publicly stated earlier this month that he would place emphasis on adding midfield reinforcements over the summer ahead of Michael Carrick‘s retirement and the probable departure of Marouane Fellaini, who has been strongly linked with Besiktas. 

And Seri has emerged as a prime target given the Ivorian’s £35m release clause and clear desire to leave Ligue 1 having come close to joining Barcelona last summer.

According to France Football, scouts from Man United, Barcelona, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus, Paris Saint Germain and Lyon were all present for the game.

While the likes of Arturo Vidal and Sergej Milinković-Savić have both outright rejected the prospect of a move away, various clubs will be scrambling to sign Seri given his obvious intention to leave Nice after being denied a move to the Nou Camp last year.

He only has 18 months left on his contract and, as he enters his peak years, needs a bigger challenge. United evidently like the look of him but you can be sure that fending off competition once the window opens won’t be easy.