Three Premier League Clubs Fight for £20m Dutch Midfielder - Report

PSV Eindhoven midfielder Kevin Strootman is a reported £20m target for Premier League clubs Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, according to the Daily Mail. The 22 year old Dutch international started at the Amsterdam ArenA on Saturday, as defending champions Ajax beat PSV 3-1 in an Eredivisie fixture.

The Gunners' chief scout, Steve Rowley, was present, as were representatives from United and Spurs, as the race to win the midfielder's signature gathers speed. Strootman was also believed to be interesting Serie A side AC Milan earlier this season, with the Rossoneri planning to offload Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng to Bayern Munich to make room for the Dutchman's arrival.

The box-to-box midfielder was strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford last week, after his agent, Chiel Dekker, admitted there was interest from Sir Alex Ferguson's side and his client would favour a move to England. However, Dekker also said Strootman would prefer a summer move in 2013 to a mid-season, January switch.

Meanwhile, PSV could be set to lose even more stars, with talkSport reporting winger Jeremain Lens is interesting both Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic. The 25 year old, who scored the club's only goal in the weekend loss to Ajax, is believed to be keen to play in English top flight. The report states newly promoted Southampton made a bid to sign the player last summer (when the Saints were in the Championship) and a fee of about £10m is now being touted.

"At the end of this season, I will be 25 and then a transfer must come. I would like to leave PSV with the title but if that does not happen it is still no reason to stay," Lens explained, adding, "At this point in my career I need to go for my career and personal development. I don't have a real preference for a particular league but in terms of playing style England and Germany would suit me."

Both Strootman and Lens have played in every one of PSV's league games this season, scoring nine goals between them; Strootman edges Lens with five strikes. And after the defeat to Ajax, PSV are third in the league, with 33 points from 15 games, one behind leader FC Twente and Vitesse Arnhem. Their next game is a midweek UEFA Europa League fixture in Italy, against Napoli; the match is a dead rubber though, both Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and the Serie A club have already qualified for the next stage.