Manchester United emerge favourites to sign Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin

Manchester United are closing in on completing a £24m ($38m) move for Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, as early as next week, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Red Devils have reportedly beaten Arsenal to his signature and are on the verge of making their first midfield signing this summer, having been linked with several players over the last couple of months.

The player revealed that he is on the verge of signing a deal with a club in the next few days and it is believed United are currently the front-runners in that department.

The emergence of Francis Coquelin has dissuaded Arsene Wenger from investing in that department, allowing Louis van Gaal to go ahead with the move. The Gunners are more likely to invest in a backup option for Coquelin than someone who can throw him off his perch in the starting line-up.

Schneiderlin will slot directly into the United squad alongside Ander Herrera, with Michael Carrick struggling to keep himself fit for the length of the season. The Frenchman will give them some much needed solidity in midfield, which they were lacking last season, allowing midfielders to swarm past them into their half.

Tottenham were also interested in the player and had a bid rejected by Southampton last summer, but Spurs are unlikely to be in the mix this time around given the player's desire to only transfer to a club in the Champions League.

The deal is likely to pour cold water over a purported move for German legend Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was reported to be mulling over a move to United, having only a year left in his current contract with Bayern Munich.

The Red Devils have already completed a move for PSV Eindoven winger Memphis Depay and Schneiderlin will only be their second signing of the summer, with a few more likely on the horizon. The Red Devils are also waiting on Real Madrid's stance on Sergio Ramos, for whom they have made a sizeable bid this summer.