Manchester United step up interest in Portuguese starlet?

Premier League giants Manchester United were reportedly keeping a close eye on the performance of Benfica starlet Joao Felix during his side's Primeira Liga clash against Braga last weekend.

The Red Devils have been heavily touted to pursue the Portuguese footballer over the past month and they seem to have stepped up their interest by tracking the player's progress.

According to O Jogo, the Red Devils had sent chief scout Marcel Bout to monitor the performance of the attacker on Sunday where Benfica secured a comfortable 4-1 triumph over Braga.

Felix has been widely regarded as the next Cristiano Ronaldo and reports indicate that Benfica won't consider his sale in the summer unless a bid in the region of £80m is made.

The valuation certainly proves a risk for any European club, but United still seem to be monitoring his proceedings. Felix has netted 18 goals from 40 appearances for Benfica in all competitions this term.