Manchester clubs lock horns for Bundesliga midfielder this summer

Hoffenheim youngster Ilay Elmkies has been compared to Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara, and he's captured the interest of both sides of Manchester.

Elmkies has just one year left on his current contract, meaning the 19-year-old could be available for a cut-price fee - as little as £2.5m. 

The teenager played for Hoffenheim against Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League last season, scoring in a 5-2 win and impressing Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff in the process. 

A diminutive deep-lying playmaker, Elmkies is the kind of player Guardiola has built his teams around in the past.

However, there's a new regime at Manchester United and, after several seasons of signing experience, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to be focusing on youth in his first summer at the helm. 

West Ham are also reportedly interested in Elmkies, where his path to the first team may be easier, but it may be difficult for the Israel international to ignore attention from Manchester. 

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