Chelsea and Liverpool are making moves to secure the services of Daniel Bandjaki, an 18-year-old right-back from Benfica. As he steadily earns his place in the Portuguese club's first team, he's begun to attract interest from multiple top European sides.
Alongside the two Premier League clubs, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are also keeping tabs on the young talent.
So far this season, Bandjaki has featured in six matches for Benfica's senior squad, starting twice in the league and making an appearance in the Europa League.
Prior to this, he gained vital experience with Benfica's B team, where he clocked up 22 appearances.
Benfica currently have no plans to sell the defender, as they aim to fully integrate him into their main squad first.
The interest from English clubs is quite understandable given their needs.
Chelsea are in search of a more natural fit for the right-back position. On occasions, manager Xabi Alonso has deployed Pedro Neto in that role, although his preferred position is significantly more advanced.
Liverpool also have uncertainties regarding their right-back spot, making Bandjaki an attractive option for the future.
Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Chelsea and Liverpool are already competing for other young prospects, including Alex Scott from Bournemouth.
Bandjaki could very well become another shared transfer target for these two clubs.
According to reports, the defender has a release clause in his contract set at around £38 million.
For a player of just 18 years with limited senior experience, this is a significant fee, and so far, none of the interested clubs appear ready to jump in and activate that clause.
However, should Bandjaki continue to impress with Benfica's first team, his value and the competition for his signature could only escalate.
As it stands, the situation revolves around interest and observation rather than concrete negotiations or offers.
