Manchester United are odds-on favourites with bookmakers to win the race to sign Southampton defender Luke Shaw.
Reports
last week had suggested United were looking to swoop for Shaw before
the transfer window closes on Friday night, while Chelsea are long-term
admirers of the left-back.
Southampton are keen
to keep hold of the teenager until at least the end of the season, but
it is believed United are ready to meet the club's £25million valuation.
And bookmakers Paddy Power believe a move to Old Trafford is likely for Shaw, with the Red Devils 4/6 favourites in theirLuke Shaw Next Club market, ahead of Chelsea (15/8) and Liverpool (11/4).
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino has this week insisted he has no plans to let Shaw leave St Mary's this week.
"Southampton have no interest in selling Luke, not at this moment or in the summer," he told reporters on Monday.
"We have no intention of selling."
Manchester
United manager David Moyes on Monday said the record signing of Juan
Mata will be "the first of many" new arrivals at Old Trafford this year.
"This is the first, and there will be many more to come in time," Moyes said.
"I want to build an exciting team."
Whether any more new signings are made this month, however, remains to be seen.
"I don't think we will have any more [new signings] in January - I'm still working on it and looking to do so," Moyes added.
"Hopefully it will be the first of some new signings who will arrive more likely in the summertime.
"We see this as the start, we have to look to improve and I'm going to try to bring in some new players to make that happen."
The January transfer window closes on Friday night at 23:00 GMT.