Manchester United and Newcastle United both monitoring Ajax defender Jorthy Mokio | OneFootball

Manchester United and Newcastle United are interested in signing Ajax defender Jorthy Mokio, according to Sky Switzerland journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

Ajax are hoping to convince the former Gent defender to extend his contract, but he is not convinced and wants to move to a bigger club.

Mokio made his senior debut for the Belgium national team in March and has played over 50 games as a professional.

A move to Man United or Newcastle would appeal to him, but breaking into the first team at either club could prove tricky given the options available to their respective managers.

Eintracht Frankfurt are also keen on Mokio and could convince him with their track record of developing young players.

While Man United manager Ruben Amorim and his Newcastle counterpart Eddie Howe are willing to play youngsters who prove themselves, the pressure of the Premier League could be too much for the Belgian.

Manchester City and Belgium winger Jeremy Doku is currently tearing defences apart in the Premier League, which would give him some confidence as he eyes a switch to England.

However, the 23-year-old spent three seasons in Ligue 1 perfecting his craft and did not hit the ground running in the English top-flight until after several months.

Mokio may need to ply a similar career route if he wants to succeed and become a top defender in the Premier League.