Manchester United have officially informed PSV Eindhoven about their interest in signing Memphis Depay.
But sporting director Marcel Brands claims the Red Devils are a step behind Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in the hopes of securing his signature.
The Holland international has attracted high interest from a number of top European clubs, and Brands insists Louis van Gaal faces stiff competition for the 21-year-old’s services.
Brands told Fox Sports: “PSG and Liverpool are indeed a step ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign Memphis. United have only informed us about their interest.
“The list of interested clubs has grown in recent weeks but Bayern Munich are not among the teams that want to sign him.
“It’s only logical that there is a lot of movement around Memphis. He is still a young player but is already hugely efficient. He should be proud of that.”
The PSV sporting director added; “There isn’t usually a lot of movement in the transfer market at this stage of the season. It’s an exception that so many clubs have already shown an interest in Memphis. That only illustrates that he’s on the right track.”