RB Leipzig set to beat Manchester United for Portuguese sensation

Manchester, November 16: It is nowadays a trend to sign talented players for a big sum when they are very young. Almost every big European club boasts a strong scouting network now to beat their rivals in getting the best talents across the globe.

Portugal has always been a hotbed of talented young players, especially Benfica. The Portuguese giants have produced some of the best players in recent times and therefore, their youngsters are watched by the bigger clubs on regular occasions.

The new kid in the block at Benfica is Umaro Embalo and despite being just 16 years of age, the Portuguese starlet is a subject of interest of Real Madrid, Manchester United and RB Leipzig.

Born in Guinea-Bissau in 2001, Embalo moved to Portugal at the age of 14. He initially travelled to the country as part of a holiday camp arranged by Benfica for Bissau-Guinean youngsters.

He impressed so much that he was snapped up by amateur Lisbon side AD Oeiras. After spending a year with AD Oeiras, Embalo made a switch to one of Portugal’s giants, Benfica.

Since then, he has been making the headlines on a regular basis. Despite not yet celebrating his 17th birthday, Embalo has already featured regularly for the club’s Under-19s, and has scored five times in 12 appearances at youth level this term.

He’s not only impressing for Benfica’s youth teams, however. Embalo has represented Portugal at under-16 and under-17 level, making his debut for the latter aged just 15.

The forward has since gone on to make 18 appearances for his adopted country at under-17 level and has scored an impressive 15 goals.

Embalo’s idol is former Benfica star Angel Di Maria and, watching him play, it is clear the youngster has based his game on the Argentine.

Capable of playing as a striker, but more comfortable on the right-wing, Embalo likes to cut inside from the right and torment defenders, with Embalo using his pace and trickery to bamboozle opposing back lines.

It looked like Embalo would be off to Old Trafford in January with reports last month claiming interest.

Manchester United’s chief scout Javier Ribalta made a point of watching the 16-year-old during Benfica Under-19’s UEFA Youth League tie against the Red Devils.

He definitely fits the profile of players United are looking at, with the club recently bringing in 16-year-old Arnau Puigmal from Espanyol, who also impressed at youthRB Leipzig to beat Manchester United for Portuguese sensationRB Leipzig to beat Manchester United for Portuguese sensation level against a Manchester United side.

Reports earlier this month claimed Embalo had impressed so much that United had agreed a £5million fee with Benfica and he was set to join up with the academy imminently.

But his agent Catio Balde poured scorn on those claims, despite admitting there had been talks.

“Nothing is done, and the conversation, nobody communicated anything to me, nor to the parents,” he said.

“He has interest from several clubs, because he is an asset of Benfica and has gone down this route well.

“I can say that all the great clubs in Europe have already asked for information about Umaro, from Germany, England, Spain, France.

“If he’s going to Manchester is something that I don’t know at all, but it’s true that we have already met with Benfica and Manchester, there is no agreement, but there are conversations.”

He is believed to be a Real Madrid transfer target but, according to the Portuguese press, it is RB Leipzig who now lead the chase for Embalo.

A Bola say the Bundesliga side are prepared to blow United’s reported bid out of the water and fork out £11.6million for the youngster.