Manchester United have moved to trump Arsenal for Villarreal defender Gabriel Paulista. The Daily Express says United are ready to compete with Arsenal for the signing of Paulista but will have to meet the player's £15m buy-out clause to get the deal done.

Reports this morning suggested that Arsenal were closing in on a deal for the Brazilian defender with Paulista confirming talks were underway.

And while those talks were said to centre on a £5m fee plus a loan deal for Joel Campbell, reports in Spain now suggest that Villarreal will hold out for the player's release clause to be met.

United - like Arsenal - are known to be in the market for a central defender in January, and have identified the 24-year-old as a cost-effective option.