Manchester United hold Diogo Dalot transfer talks
Diogo Dalot has played a handful of fixtures for Porto but could become the first Man Utd transfer in the summer transfer window 2018.
Manchester United are attempting to sign teenage right-back Diogo Dalot from Porto.
Portuguese sources have told the MEN United have tracked Dalot, 19, for a number of months having struggled to settle on a more established right-back target. United refused to comment.
Dalot is a Portugal Under-21 international who only made his senior debut for Porto in February before he started in their goalless Champions League round-of-16 draw with Liverpool at Anfield in March. Dalot has appeared just eight times for Porto but has impressed United's Portuguese scouts.
Braga-born Dalot joined Porto's academy aged 11. Dalot, who won the Under-19 European Championship with Portugal in 2016, was not included in coach Fernando Santos' 23-man World Cup squad.
United have explored signing a right-back and a left-back this summer and, despite interest in Alex Sandro, are expected to conclude a deal for the right-sided Dalot sooner. Antonio Valencia, who turns 33 in August, is out of contract at the end of next season and Mourinho has earmarked Dalot as his long-term heir, with Matteo Darmian expected to leave in the summer.
Mourinho's willingness to recruit a raw replacement for Valencia mirrors Sir Alex Ferguson's grooming of Rafael da Silva to assume Gary Neville's right-back role. Neville was 33 and had suffered an injury which had reduced him to one appearance in 18 months when Rafael made his debut aged 18 in August 2008.
United manager Mourinho was reluctant to sign Portugal-based players in his first summer transfer window at Old Trafford but the club bought Victor Lindelof from Benfica in an initial £30.9million deal last year and Dalot could become the first Porto player to move to United since Anderson in 2007. The Brazil midfielder eventually cost £25m.