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Man Utd battling Leeds and AC Milan for Benfica star after January meeting with agent

Manchester United have already taken the first steps to try and bring Benfica star Florentino Luis to Old Trafford this summer. The Red Devils have already met the player's agent but still face competition from AC Milan and Championship leaders Leeds United to sign the youngster in the summer transfer window.

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Florentino who turns 21 in August, has already drawn comparisons to Paul Pogba and Patrick Vieira for his performances for Benfica.

The defensive midfielder is nicknamed "O Polvo" - the Octopus - for the way he covers ground and wins loose balls in the centre of the park.

He established himself as a starter at Benfica in the latter half of the 2018/19 season but has found his opportunity limited by injuries this campaign.

United officials met his agent, Bruno Carvalho Santos, in January and the player's representative has been dealing with enquiries from several teams for the past few months.

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Man Utd news: Florentino Luis is also a transfer target for Leeds United and AC Milan (Image: GETTY)

"Florentino is one of the highest-rated young defensive midfielders in Europe," Carvalho Santos told ESPN .

"So there is a lot of interest in him at the moment.

"There has been a lot of talk about Milan, but I can tell you that there is a lot of competition for his services, with clubs in England, Germany and Spain also following him closely."

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Along with United and Milan keeping close tabs on the youngster, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Betis and Leeds have also been linked.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb , Leeds would be looking to sign Florentino if they secure promotion to the Premier League.

The Yorkshire club currently have a one-point lead over second-placed West Brom, but have a seven-point lead over third-placed Fulham, with nine games remaining.

Florentino's Benfica contract expires in 2024 but the club are looking for a deal this summer to raise much-needed funds to cover the costs of the coronavirus pandemic.

Man Utd news: Florentino Luis is one of the highest-rated young defensive midfielders in Europe (Image: GETTY) Trending READ MORE Leeds star Kalvin Phillips makes transfer decision as Tottenham wait

The Portuguese club would even be willing to consider a loan deal this summer if it included an option to make the move permanent.

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to add to his options in midfield this summer and the arrival of Florentino could allow other players to play in more advanced roles.

Florentino was a key part of the Portugal team that won the European Under-17 Championship in 2016 and European U19 Championship in 2018.

Meanwhile, Leeds will be looking to tempt him to Elland Road with the prospect of working with Marcelo Bielsa.

The Argentine coach has a great record of developing players and the Whites will no doubt also be offering the youngster guaranteed first-team football in the Premier League if they approach.