Manchester rivals in race for youngster and other red-hot gossip

Bitter rivals Manchester United and Manchester City are set to go head-to-head in a bid to sign Jerome Boateng from Hamburg. The £11m-rated 21-year-old centre-back is the younger brother of Portsmouth midfielder Kevin Prince-Boateng. He is reportedly also been watched by Arsenal. Elsewhere, Everton are keen on Ajax's highly rated Belgium international defender Jan Vertonghen; Fulham want Fenerbahce's Turkey international striker Semih Senturk, who is available on a free transfer in the summer; Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has scoffed at reports linking him with a return to Serie A with Juventus; and Arsenal's chances of beating Barcelona have improved with news that the La Liga giants star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out of their second-leg Champions League quarterfinal with a calf injury.