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Manchester United send scouts to watch £46million-rated Benfica starlet Renato Sanches in victory over Sporting Lisbon

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Renato Sanches played 90 minutes for Benfica as they beat Sporting 1-0
Manchester United in discussion over £46million move for 18-year-old
Club opened discussions in January for the talented teenager

Published: 11:37 GMT, 7 March 2016 | Updated: 22:18 GMT, 7 March 2016

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Manchester United scouts ran the rule over Benfica midfielder Renato Sanches once again on Saturday night during their clash with Sporting Lisbon.

Talks are ongoing with Benfica over a proposed £46million summer transfer for the 18-year-old who has made just 20 first team appearances since his debut in October.

United opened discussions in January for the talented teenager and are willing to structure a deal similar to the one they struck with Monaco for Anthony Martial with staggered payments but Benfica are pushing for £31million up front with £15m in add-ons.

Manchester United scouts ran the rule over Benfica midfielder Renato Sanches (right) once again on Saturday

Talks are ongoing with Benfica over a proposed £46million summer transfer for the 18-year-old

Sanches played the full game against Sporting with Benfica running out 1-0 winners

SO WHO IS RENATO SANCHES?

Renato Sanches has 40 international caps to his name at youth level but is yet to make a senior appearance for Portugal's national team.

After impressing for Benfica B, Sanches was promoted to the first-team set up at the start of this season.

Sanches signed a contract which will see him stay at Benfica until 2021 unless his buyout clause is met.

He has been compared to Edgar Davids due to his hairstyle and creativity in midfield.

Sanches played the full game against Sporting with Benfica running out 1-0 winners thanks to a goal from Kostas Mitroglou, who is loan from Fulham.

Sportsmail reported in January that Sanches had a buy-out clause of nearly £60million but United were negotiating hard to bring it down.

Other heavyweight European clubs have been watching him and United do not want an auction to start.

United scouts watched Schalke against Hamburg last Wednesday night though Schalke's coveted winger 19-year-old Leroy Sane, a target for Manchester City, stayed on the bench.

They have also checked on Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Omer Toprak, 26.

Kostas Mitroglou (right) scored the winner for Benfica against Sporting Lisbon on Saturday

Schalke starlet Leroy Sane (left) in action against Cologne in the Bundesliga on Saturday

Manchester United full back Guillermo Varela has been rewarded for his form with a call-up by Uruguay

Manchester United full back Guillermo Varela has been rewarded for his form with a call-up to Uruguay's squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Peru later this month.

Varela was almost allowed to join Genoa in January but for the intervention of Ryan Giggs.

Varela had appeared in Manchester United's last four games before being left on the bench for their defeat at West Brom on Sunday, with first-choice right back Matteo Darmian back in action.

He could return for their crunch Europa League clash with Liverpool on Thursday, with the first leg of the last-16 tie taking place at Anfield.

Manchester United then host West Ham in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday, before the conclusion of their tie with Liverpool at Old Trafford next Thursday.