Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal all chasing supreme Benfica talent as nine-club battle ignites | OneFootball

TEAMtalk can reveal that Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are among seven top Premier League clubs who are checking on highly-rated teenager Daniel Banjaqui, as interest intensifies in the Benfica starlet.

The 17-year-old defender has quickly become one of Europe’s most talked-about young talents after being introduced into Benfica’s first team this season by manager Jose Mourinho.

Banjaqui made his senior debut in December and has already attracted the attention of some of the biggest clubs on the continent.

German giants Bayern Munich and Spanish powerhouse Barcelona have been leading the pursuit for several months and are understood to have already held discussions over a potential deal.

However, TEAMtalk understands that the race is widening rapidly.

Sources have confirmed that intermediaries have recently spoken with multiple English clubs about the defender, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all made aware of his situation in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also being kept informed as the situation develops.

Banjaqui will turn 18 later this month and currently has just one year remaining on the deal he signed with Benfica back in 2024.

That contract situation has sparked urgency inside the club, with Benfica now working frantically to convince the young defender to commit to a new long-term agreement.

So far, however, negotiations have failed to reach a breakthrough.

Benfica remain hopeful they can persuade one of their brightest prospects to stay at the Estádio da Luz, but sources admit that if a new deal is not secured soon, the likelihood of a summer transfer will grow significantly.

With Europe’s elite now circling, Banjaqui’s future is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing young-player sagas heading into the next transfer window.

Banjaqui is due back in action on Sunday when Benfica host rivals Porto, with Mourinho’s men looking to close the gap on the Primeira Liga leaders to just four points.