Liverpool and Manchester City are preparing big offers for Ligue 1 star Jean Michael Seri, according to reports.

Seri was the subject of intense speculation in the summer with Barcelona seeing a £35.2million bid turned down by his club, Nice.

Arsenal were also monitoring the 26-year-old, but City and Liverpool have now emerged as serious contenders.

The Daily Mail claim Seri has given the green light for a potential transfer to England.

Seri is excited by the prospect of playing in the Premier league and is ready to test his talents under Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp.

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Nice resisted all moves for Seri in the summer with club president Jean-Pierre Rivere irking the player for refusing to listen to offers.

Seri is now fully fit again after missing the start of the season through injury and Liverpool and City have sent scouts to watch him in action.

The two rivals will continue dispatching spies to watch Seri, who has a contract with Nice that expires in the summer of 2019.

Paris Saint-Germain are also in the running, but it is believed Seri would prefer an exit from France.

Liverpool are in desperate need of a defensive midfielder with the Reds’ backline continually being cut open this season.

Seri can play in central midfield, but is accustomed to shielding the back four in a more defensive position.

Liverpool and City are expected to spend this January with their squads being hit with injuries.

City want another centre-back and have been tipped to challenge Liverpool for Southampton defender, Virgil van Dijk.