Liverpool are believed to have already had a bid turned down
Manchester United are said to be considering a move for Benfica’s Joao Felix according to reports in the Portuguese youngster’s homeland.
The 19-year-old can play in several positions in attack and has scored four times since breaking into Benfica’s first team earlier this season and has been described by some as “the next Cristiano Ronaldo”.
He has already been linked with moves to Manchester City and Barcelona. Liverpool are also said to be interested – to the extent that Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha claimed they’ve had a bid of £60m for him rejected earlier this month.
United are now thought to be looking into the possibility of bringing Felix to Old Trafford, with Record (via the Mirror) saying they are compiling reports on him as they mull over making a formal bid.
Should United decide to make a move, they are likely to have to break a club record to bring him to the club. Benifca are said to have inserted a £105m buyout clause into his recently extended deal with the club.
Such a fee is incredibly steep for such a young player, especially when considering he has yet to break into the Portuguese senior squad.
The fact that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is, for now at least, employed by United on a caretaker basis also makes it unlikely that a big-money bid for a young player will be sanctioned in the current transfer window.
United have won all seven of their games under Solskjaer since he replaced Jose Mourinho, his 100% record on the line again as they travel to Arsenal in the FA Cup Fourth Round on Friday night.
