Chelsea to rival Man Utd for £25m ace?

Premier League toppers Chelsea will reportedly battle it out with Manchester United in the race to sign Anderlecht midfielder Youri Tielemans.

Tielemans, still 19, is regarded as one of the best young prospects in the Jupiler league after having already managed over 160 outings for the Belgian club.

The youngster owns the captain's armband despite his tender age, and he produced a promising performance in the 1-1 draw against United in the Europa League, which impressed the Blues scouts, The Express reports.

Blues boss Antonio Conte has the likes of N'Golo Kante, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas to depend upon in the heart of the midfield, but he would nevertheless prefer a youthful player in the ranks ahead of a Champions League challenge next term.

Meanwhile, United coach Jose Mourinho is still on the search for a replacement for veteran Michael Carrick, who could probably retire at the expiry of his contract in the summer.

The former Spurs man will be offered an extension with a substantial pay cut on his current £130,000-a-week wages, but it is yet to be seen whether he would accept the proposed offer.

Premier League club Everton are also understood to be in the hunt for Tielemans as they plan to push for a potential Champions League qualification spot next season.