Velez Sarsfield concede they could lose Thiago Almada this summer.

The young midfielder is being linked with Manchester United and Manchester City.

Velez Sarsfield are resigned to the fact that should the 20-time Premier League giants come calling then their primary asset will soon be heading to Lancashire.

ESPN spoke to a member from Velez Sarsfield's board who said: “There's no way to hold him. To all the offers that are seen in the media, add one from the local market and two from Italy.

“We're going to wait for the market to open so that we know what is real and who's asking, and we'll be as serious at the negotiating table as we have been since this administration began."

Almada recently put pen to paper a new four-year contract that includes a £22m release clause.