Liverpool and Manchester United have reportedly joined the chase for Carney Chukwuemeka – who Aston Villa rate as the best 16-year-old in England.

Midfielder Chukwuemeka is also believed to be on Manchester City’s radar, although Villa are hoping to persuade the teenager to stay.

Villa CEO Christian Purslow recently described the England under-17 international as “probably the best 16-year-old in England right now”.

The Premier League relegation strugglers have held contract talks with Chukwuemeka, and are hoping to persuade him there will be a clearer path to the first team if he stays at Villa Park.

But they have a fight on their hands as Liverpool and United are monitoring the box-to-box midfielder, according to The Sun.

And The Athletic reports that City are also interested in the homegrown talent.

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is on a mission to sign young, talented homegrown players who can grow with the club, while Liverpool have invested in teenagers such as winger Harvey Elliott and right-back Ki-Jana Hoever recently.

Chukwuemeka is still training part-time while he completes his studies.

So in terms of football development he is behind fellow 16-year-old Jude Bellingham, who is a Championship regular for Birmingham City and is another player being targeted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United.

However, Bellingham is reportedly just a signature away from completing a transfer to Borussia Dortmund, according to recent reports from Germany.

The 16-year-old has been heavily courted by both clubs desperate to land his services, with United having even shown the youngster round the club’s training facilities.

Bild report that Bellingham is ready to snub United and put pen to paper on a switch to the Bundesliga giants.

The German publication adds that Bellingham might well have already completed the agreement had it not been for the coronavirus outbreak.

Bellingham is thought to favour a move to Dortmund where he knows he will play regularly, rather than head to United where first-team minutes are not guaranteed.

While Dortmund are confident of making Bellingham their player, the economic situation brought on by the coronavirus-enforced break could cause problems in the deal.

Talks were at an advanced stage between the club and player, but Dortmund will not enter into any further discussions until they know when and whether the current season will resume.