Spanish newspaper Sport writes that Manchester United are in a battle with Barcelona to land Brazilian defender Marquinhos. It also claims that the Catalan giants have already had a £42M bid rejected by his current club Paris Saint-Germain.
 

The 23-year-old is considered as one of the world’s best centre-backs with reports suggesting that United boss Jose Mourinho is set to test the French sides resolve by offering £60M to take him across the channel to the Premier League.
 

Barcelona for their part, have reportedly told the players representatives that they want him to be at the heart of their defence “for the next decade” but PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi is understood to be unwilling to let the player leave to one of their direct rivals for the Champions League.
 

With United also closing in on Burnley defender Michael Keane, the journal claims that Marquinhos will become “One of the defensive pillars in Mourinho’s project at Old Trafford”. It’s also believed that the player’s agent is set to head to Old Trafford for talks with United executives to see if a deal would be possible.
 

The report states also that Marquinhos met with PSG’s director of football Patrick Kluivert but turned down all offers of an improved deal at the Parc des Princes.