Manchester City have reportedly emerged as frontrunners in the race to sign Benfica starlet Ronaldo Camara.
A number of the world's top clubs have been tracking the promising 16-year-old, with Manchester United and Barcelona also understood to be monitoring his progress.
United had hoped to wrap up a deal for the youngster during the January transfer window, but the Evening Standard reports that they now face an uphill battle to beat their local rivals to his signature.
City are confident that the prospect of joining their state-of-the-art academy and working with manager Pep Guardiola will be enough to convince Camara to choose them ahead of United or Barcelona.
The likes of Jadon Sancho, Brahim Diaz and Phil Foden have graduated from City's academy in recent years, and the impending threat of a transfer ban due to alleged Financial Fair Play violations has increased the urgency to bring in the best young players.
Camara is considered in that bracket by the club, having impressed while playing for Benfica and Portugal's Under-17s side - the latter of whom he made his debut for aged just 14.
Barney Corkhill
