Manchester United ready to smash British transfer record for Joao Felix

Bengaluru, May 22: Manchester United are reportedly ready to pay the £105million release clause for Joao Felix this summer as per reports in England.

The Benfica star is the subject of interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs but the Red Devils are desperate to get to the front of the queue.

According to the Portuguese media, the Old Trafford club are prepared to smash the British transfer record to sign Felix.

The record currently stands at the £89m United paid to bring Paul Pogba back to the club from Juventus in 2016. But Felix is rated so highly that they are now willing to match the huge release clause.

The Portugal Under-21 international would add creativity and goals to a side that has struggled this season, particularly in the final weeks of the campaign.

Manchester United lost eight of their final 12 games this season and midfielder Pogba was the top scorer with 16 goals, one more than £75million-rated man Romelu Lukaku and three more than Marcus Rashford.

If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer indeed manages to bring in Felix, it would surely throw the futures of both Rashford and Lukaku into doubt.

The prodigy is currently under contract at Benfica until 2023 and with Jorge Mendes being his agent, it is unsurprising that he is set for a big-money move.

In his debut season in the first team, Felix bagged an impressive 20 goals and 11 assists and he also became the Europa League's youngest hat-trick scorer when he scored a treble against Eintracht Frankfurt in April.

Felix started training under his dad before joining Porto but after seven years, the club decided he was too small so released him at 15.

In just four years' time, he is bossing the Primeira Liga and has the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester City scrambling for his signature.

Meanwhile, like United, City are also in the hunt as they see him as a replacement for Leroy Sane, who is thought to be a target for Bayern Munich, while Atletico Madrid have also sent scouts to watch him in recent weeks.

And as Diego Simeone prepares to lose Antoine Griezmann, he may well view Felix as a suitable man to try and fill those big boots.

There are high expectations for Felix, both from within his club and across his country, where he is seen as the natural heir to his idol Cristiano Ronaldo's throne.