Yves Bissouma's "dream" transfer admission puts Man Utd in pole position

Yves Bissouma looks set to be the subject of a bidding war, with Manchester United joined by Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the chase for the 25-year-old.

With United's midfield remaining Ralf Rangnick's biggest concern, amid a failure to add a central midfielder to the squad in January, attention could now turn to the Brighton & Hove Albion talent.

Bissouma is back from Africa Cup of Nations duty, having featured in all of Mali's games as they reached the last 16 of the competition, and a last-minute move could still happen.

United fans may be encouraged by the former Lille man's earlier comments, though Brighton continue to value Bissouma highly and would be unlikely to let him leave without demanding a big fee.

Bissouma has played more than 100 games for Brighton since arriving from Lille in 2018, making 15 appearances for Graham Potter's side this term as the Seagulls have established themselves in the top half of the Premier League table.

He started three of Mali's four AFCON games in Cameroon, playing alongside fellow Man Utd-linked midfielder Amadou Haidara in the last-16 exit against Equatorial Guinea.

According to RTL France (via The Mail ), "intense" talks have begun over a move for the Brighton man, who the club value at a minimum of £37m, with United rivalled by Spurs and Villa after earlier interest from Liverpool appears to have quietened.

"I didn’t go this summer, maybe its because it’s not my time to go," Bissouma said back in September after he ended up staying on the south coast.

"When my time will come, it’s my time, but I’m happy in Brighton, I’m enjoying playing football.

"My dream is like every player, I want to play in the Champions League, I want to be champions. I want to compare