Confirmed Liverpool and United Centre-Back Target Pondering Italian Move

Manchester United and Liverpool target Kurt Zouma is considering the possibility of a move to Italy despite fielding interest from two of England's largest clubs.

Zouma has starred for Saint-Etienne since moving through the youth ranks into the senior line-up in 2011. At just 18 years of age he has featured regularly for his club and been capped for the France Under 21 side as well.

The teenager's agent David Venditelli confirmed that both United and Liverpool were interested in the player and while he insisted that Zouma would stay at St-Etienne to continue to develop his skills, speculation over a move has not been silenced.

And now it would appear that he is also considering offers from the Serie A with Venditelli claiming he would like to play in a league which is well known for it's defensive qualities.

"A defender always has interest in playing in Serie A,"he told FCInterNews via Inside Futbol. "Everyone knows the tactical and defensive rigor of that championship."

Inter Milan have been the most high-profile Serie A side credited with interest in Zouma, but it certainly isn't too late for United or Liverpool to tempt the youngster into moving to the Premier League instead, with Manchester City and Chelsea also believed to be monitoring the situation.

Zouma's rise to regular first team action - playing in eight of St-Etienne's last nine Ligue 1 games this season - has been well documented with the starlet taking part in France's Under 20 World Cup winning squad and in the club's 2012-13 French League Cup win.

He was promoted to the senior ranks at just 16 years of age but after the side narrowly missed out on European football last season, finishing fifth in the table, he could be on the lookout for a move to a bigger club.

While United can certainly offer immediate Champions League participation Liverpool would be more suited to a younger player trying to break into the first team, with Brendan Rodgers well known for handing younger players chances to prove themselves on the Premier League stage.