Manchester City have joined Arsenal in the chase for Ghana youngster King Gyan Osei, skysports.com understands.

The 21-year-old midfielder joined Fulham in 2007 when they beat Manchester United and Newcastle to sign him from Hearts of Oak in Accra.

Having signed King, Fulham were fully aware he would not qualify to get a work permit and could not play in England, so he was sent on loan to Belgian club Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen.

His progress at GBA has been good and he has continued to have training sessions in London with Fulham, where he has impressed Cottagers chief Roy Hodgson. It was hoped that after three years he would qualify for a work permit, but it transpires he will need a minimum of an additional 12-month residency to attain an EU passport.

King, who won his first full cap for Ghana last year, is now leaving Fulham after his contract expired.

Arsenal have been long-term admirers and are keen to take him on, but City have also emerged as possible contenders for his signature.

Should either English club sign him they would attempt to win him a work permit and if that failed then he would be loaned to a Belgian side for another year.

But there is also interest in Belgium to sign him permanently with both Anderlecht and Standard Liege said to be keen.