Manchester United prepare major summer deal to sign Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Manchester United have opened transfer talks with Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a move in the summer. The Gabon international has been in top goalscoring form this season and despite the indecision over the managerial appointment for the upcoming campaign, chief executive Ed Woodward is sure that his addition would go a long way in alleviating their problems up front.

The Mirror reports that United are willing to pay upwards of £60m ($85m) to prise the African away from the Bundesliga. They will face resistance from Dortmund who are in no mood to sell, having made their way into the quarter-finals of the Europa League and sit only five points adrift of Bayern Munich, who will also be going through a managerial shift in the summer, with Carlo Ancelotti set to replace Pep Guardiola at the helm.

They will face competition from Real Madrid and Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger looking to bring in another frontman in the summer and dispose of Olivier Giroud, who has been second choice at the Emirates for quite some time now. However, Aubameyang has expressed his interest in joining Madrid and given the financial supremacy of the two clubs in question, Wenger will find it very difficult to convince the player to move to north London.

The Red Devils will however be desperate to pin down a Champions League spot, failing which will make it difficult for them to attract top talent across Europe. The Red Devils have managed to tide over disappointing season under David Moyes with some astute signings, given their global brand and history, but another season outside Europe's biggest club competition could prove fatal in the transfer market.

United are currently sixth in the league, level with West Ham United and only a point behind Manchester City, who have been in woeful form off late. Louis van Gaal's future, with Jose Mourinho having already been sounded out to take over in the summer, is likely to depend on his ability to finish in the top four.