Manchester United and Manchester City monitor Sevilla defender Clement Lenglet

Manchester United and Manchester City are both keeping tabs on Sevilla defender Clement Lenglet, who is also catching the eye of La Liga leaders Barcelona after flourishing for Eduardo Berizzo's side.

Lenglet arrived in Andalusia from French outfit Nancy in the January transfer window and has helped Sevilla qualify for the Champions League and occupy fifth place in La Liga, just two points behind Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, who lie in fourth and third respectively.

The France youth international's performances have not gone unnoticed by English sides, with United and City both keeping a close eye on his development as they look to bolster their options in the centre of defence, according to the Daily Mail.

United signed a central defender just a few months ago in Victor Lindelof, who has not enjoyed a serene start to life at Old Trafford, but Jose Mourinho's side could look to sign Lenglet amid doubts over the future of Chris Smalling coupled with Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo's ability to stay fit.

City did not bring in a new centre-back in the summer, though they did attempt to sign former United star Jonny Evans from West Bromwich Albion. The Northern Ireland international eventually remained at the Hawthorns but City boss Guardiola suggested that the Premier League leaders may delve into the market for another centre-half in the upcoming transfer windows, with doubts surrounding the future of fourth-choice centre-half Eliaquim Mangala.

"He (Mangala) is a player for us and he will stay here,' Guardiola said in his press conference. "In the future, in the winter break and open window in the summer, we are going to assess everything, not just Manga. If you are happy or not, playing or not, you have to decide. He has to decide if he wants to stay here.

"He's a player with a lot of experience at a high level, Valencia, Porto, here, in the national team. I'm really impressed with his behaviour in the training sessions. Always a help, for a manager, a club, it's so important. He has specific qualities and in this league it's important. We are going to use him."

Lenglet would fit into Guardiola's style of play, given his composure on the ball and penchant to play out of defence, though his ability to operate at left-back would prove invaluable to Mourinho, who has all but ended Luke Shaw's career at United.

Liverpool and Arsenal have also been credited with an interest in Lenglet, who has a £28m release clause in his contract with Sevilla. The 22-year-old arrived at the Roman Sanchez Pizjuan in a deal worth £4.4m from Nancy in January, and was said to be Barcelona's 'priority' signing for the end of the season.

Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti are a rather formidable centre-back partnership for Barcelona, but Ernesto Valverde's men only have the ageing Javier Mascherano and the injury-prone Thomas Vermaelen available to step in if one of the aforementioned pair is unavailable.

Lenglet would provide adequate competition and substantial pressure to Pique and Umtiti, who has developed into one of the world's best central defenders since joining Barcelona from Lyon, but the Frenchman's focus is currently fixed on Sevilla's Copa Del Rey clash with Cartagena in Wednesday (29 November).