Manchester United are in the driving seat ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign Thomas Lemar from Monaco, according to Fleet Street journalist Ian McGarry.

Speaking on The Transfer Window podcast, he said: "I"d say Manchester United are in the driving seat right now (for Lemar).

"I think Wenger was depending on the whole French connection at Arsenal, bringing in a player who obviously has played for the (French) national team with Giroud, Lacazette, Koscielny and others.

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"But they haven"t got the deal over the line yet and they"ve been trying for six weeks.

"And if Manchester United did come in with the right offer and the right contract and the charm and charisma of Jose Mourinho telling a player how he"ll play, where he"ll play as he does.”

Gareth Bale is not interested in moving to United as he thinks it would be a step down from Real Madrid.

But the Welshman is facing a dilemma as he has increased competition at the Bernabeu this season.

Marco Asensio and Isco have both emerged as serious threats to his position under Zinedine Zidane.

Spanish outlet Diario Gol say Bale does not want to leave as he sees Real as the best team on the planet right now.

But they also report the 28-year-old"s relationship with Isco is strained.

Thomas Lemar to Man Utd: Could Jose Mourinho beat Arsenal to the Monaco man?

Real Madrid have switched focus from landing Chelsea ace Eden Hazard to Manchester United star David de Gea.

McGarry explained all on The Transfer Window podcast. He said: "In (Real Madrid"s) negotiations with Marco Asensio and his representatives there was concern about how much game-time Asensio will have at the Bernabeu next season.

"He and representatives have been saying ‘we need some guarantees here" because we"ve heard rumours you"re signing Hazard from Chelsea or another Galatico outfield player because that"s what president Florentino Perez promised when he was elected unopposed in June of this summer.

"In those negotiations, I"m told his representatives were told ‘no, we"re abandoning all plans to sign an outfield Galatico, and the final piece for Zidane"s team is a new goalkeeper. And that goalkeeper is David de Gea.

"Two weeks left of the transfer window, I think Manchester United will resist this because trying to get a replacement for De Gea now would be difficult.

"But what he know is De Gea sees himself as playing for Real Madrid in his career. He"s already imagined himself in that shirt. He will want the move.

"If it comes back to him they make him a very good contract offer and they offer enough money for Manchester United to sell, this could be one we finally see close at the end of the window.”