Newcastle United and Burnley are going head-to-head for Nuno Tavares but Benfica have slapped a £25 million price-tag on the full-back as they look to ward off interest from elsewhere, as reported by O Jogo.
Sporting sensation Nuno Mendes is not the only Lisbon-based left-back attracting interest outside the Portuguese capital.
Tavares, like Mendes, is in the midst of an impressive breakthrough season at one of Iberia’s biggest clubs. So much so that, after just 37 first-team appearances, Benfica are already fielding approaches from England and Italy for their homegrown 21-year-old.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle and Burnley are watching Tavares closely.
And, in an attempt to scare off his suitors, Benfica have made it clear that the Portugal U21 international will not be going anywhere for a penny less than £25 million.
Whether their plan works remains to be seen.
It seems unlikely that Burnley, even after being taken over by American investors, will shatter their transfer record for a young left-back. The Clarets already have Charlie Taylor, after all.
Newcastle, however, have a history when it comes to paying substantial fees for talented young players with potential.
Mike Ashley may not be the most ambitious of owners but, in the last two years, the much-maligned Magpies chief has invested around £90 million in Jamal Lewis, Joelinton, Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin – even if only one of the aforementioned four has lived up to their lofty price-tag.
O Jogo adds that Napoli are currently leading the race for Tavares’s signature.
But Gennaro Gattuso’s Serie A giants may be fighting a losing battle as they look to tempt Benfica into selling the attack-minded full-back for far less than £25 million.
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