Arsenal are set to go head-to-head with Manchester United for the signing of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Kevin Strootman, while Alisher Usmanov has called on Thierry Henry to join Arsenal - not as a player, but as a coach.

The Gunners are definitely on the lookout for fresh faces this January, and one of them could be Strootman. The Dutch international midfielder is highly-rated and has been dubbed the "next Mark Van Bommel."

Strootman has been on the radar of United for quite some time now, as Sir Alex Ferguson looks for a midfield general they have been sorely missing for quite some time now.

Arsenal are also very much interested in the defensive midfielder, as Arsene Wenger looks to plug the gaps in a squad which has looked extremely thin.

According to The Sun, Arsenal's chief scout Steve Rowley, along with United primary scout Martin Ferguson have both given their go-ahead to make a move and it now looks like it will be up to the player himself to decide on which club he will join.

Arsenal and United are ready to stump up the required transfer fee, believed to be between £15-20 million ($24-32 million).

"It looks certain that he will leave in January," a source told The Sun. "The only question is where?

"It looks like Manchester United or Arsenal -- they are both very keen."

Meanwhile, Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov, who has not been allowed on the board despite holding the second highest amount of shares at the club, has asked the club to bring Thierry Henry in a coaching capacity.

"I don't have any powers in terms of decisions at the club but there are a few players with whom I am in contact," he said.

"My favorite is probably Thierry Henry. Thierry should be involved at the club but not as a player. He has another role to play, a more important role.

"Take Patrick Vieira at Manchester City. He is also a symbol of Arsenal but he is helping another club.

"We have to avoid that with Thierry. The presence of a champion can radically change the soul of a team.

"That is what Thierry showed last year when he came back to Arsenal but I think that comebacks only succeed once. That's why I think the decision to come back belongs only to Thierry."