Manchester United and Chelsea set to miss out on transfer target Jonathan Clauss

France international Jonathan Clauss is on the verge of signing for Marseille, reports Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Clauss joined Lens on a free transfer back in 2020, following the expiry of his contract at German side Arminia Bielefeld. Despite never featuring in a top-flight game before, he made an instant impression in Ligue 1, earning a place in the league’s 2020/21 Team of the Year.

The right-back took his excellent form into the next season, once again being selected in Ligue 1 Team of the Year. He ended the campaign with five goals and 11 assists – the latter tally was bettered by only Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Benjamin Bourigeaud.

His performances won him his first caps for the France national team. The 29-year-old has made four appearances for Les Bleus, and is expected to be in Didier Deschamps’ squad for November’s World Cup in Qatar.

Clauss has been the subject of plenty of speculation this summer, with a number of clubs hoping to pick him up. According to Fabrizio Romano, he is set to join Marseille after the club reached an €8 million agreement with Lens.

Les Olympiens are hoping to close the gap on Paris Saint-Germain next year, having finished 15 points off the champions last time out. They have already been very busy in the transfer window, bringing in seven players. However, Boubakar Kamara departed on a free transfer to Aston Villa, while William Saliba’s loan spell from Arsenal ended.

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Clauss’ transfer will come as a blow to Premier League duo Manchester United and Chelsea, who were both linked with a swoop for the Frenchman this transfer window.

Man Utd are in need of an upgrade in the right-back position. £50m signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been a disappointment, while Diogo Dalot has also struggled to make an impact.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have one of the Premier League’s best right-backs in Reece James. However, their back-up options are lacking. Cesar Azpilicueta has played there on plenty of occasions, but he is primarily a centre-back, and his future is uncertain.