Liverpool will square up to bitter rivals Manchester United in the race for Holland wonderboy Memphis Depay.

Depay, 21, has helped PSV Eindhoven to their first Eredivisie title in seven years with 20 goals and the Dutch side are resigned to losing him in the summer.

PSV technical director Marcel Brands admitted there has been formal contact from United for the £25m-rated starlet, but Liverpool are also keen on a player they want to line up alongside Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho at Anfield.

Manager Brendan Rodgers is keen on the player and the north-west rivals are already in direct competition for Burnley's Danny Ings, who will leave Turf Moor in the summer for a fee to be set by a transfer tribunal.

Liverpool are confident of securing him.

United boss Louis van Gaal knows Depay's qualities well after including him in his Holland squad for last summer's World Cup in Brazil and international teammates Danny Blind and Robin van Persie are also at Old Trafford.

"We have had a telephone call from them about him," said Brands. "But no talks have been held yet."Several top clubs have expressed an interest. He will be expensive."

Depay has been with PSV since the age of 12.

Since making his first team debut in September 2011 he has made more than 121 appearances scoring an
impressive 48 goals. He has won 15 caps and scored twice for Holland.

Source: Daily Express