Man Utd, Man City plan Jan battle for Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis

The race between Manchester United and Manchester City for Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis is intensifying.

A Bola says the 20-year-old star, who has drawn comparisons with Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante due to his battling style of play, was wanted by City boss Pep Guardiola in the summer.

However the Spaniard decided against stepping up his pursuit and instead signed Rodri from Atletico Madrid as a long-term replacement for the ageing Fernandinho.

City remain interested in the defensive midfielder but United recently sent scouts to watch the Benfica talent. The Red Devils sent scouts to watch Benfica's 4-0 win at Sporting Braga earlier this month to keep an eye on Luis and his team-mate Ruben Dias.

Luis is highly rated by Benfica and signed a new contract this summer that extended his stay with the Portuguese giants until 2024, reports the Mirror.

And, crucially, the club increased his release clause from 60m (54m) to 120m (108m).