Borussia Monchengladbach's Denis Zakaria 'seems [Manchester] United bound', according to The Birmingham Mail's Ashley Preece. 

The lowdown

Zakaria will apparently be able to leave Gladbach this month for as little as £6million.

That's because the 25-year-old's contract is due to expire at the end of the current season, and it seems that the Bundesliga outfit are looking to cash in while they still can.

Zakaria is a Switzerland international who's capable of operating as a defensive midfielder and as a centre-back.

Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk says United have 'made an offer' to the player's camp and 'would pay for a transfer in [the] winter' rather than waiting until he's a free agent.

The latest

In a fan Q & A, it was put to Preece that Aston Villa, on the hunt for a midfielder after an injury to Marvelous Nakamba, would 'surely' be in for Zakaria given his reported price tag.

But the journalist replied that Zakaria appears to be heading for Old Trafford, and so The Villans might have to focus on landing Brighton and Hove Albion's Yves Bissouma instead.

The verdict

This update is really exciting for United fans. Data from FBRef.com shows that Zakaria is stylistically similar to West Ham United's Declan Rice, producing a high volume of interceptions, blocks and dribbles.

Indeed, as of 11 January, only RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol boasted a higher dribbling success rate in the Bundesliga (among those who had attempted 30 or more).

Rice has been labelled a 'priority target' for The Red Devils, but David Moyes has indicated that West Ham would demand more than £100million.

Zakaria, who was dubbed 'incredible' by his former manager Marco Rose, could be a considered a bargain alternative at just a seven-figure fee.

In other news, fans flocked to this update on a potential outgoing.