Portuguese giants Benfica wish to increase the release clause of teenage star Joao Felix amid interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The 19-year-old has risen to prominence for the Lisbon-based giants this season and has netted 12 goals for the club, who now lead the Portuguese top flight.
Felix has netted in two Lisbon derbies against Sporting CP this season and also scored against FC Porto in a key title clash last month.
That has led to the attack-minded midfielder being labelled as ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ while Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United have also scouted the player.
“Right now we are not interested in selling Joao Felix, and soon we will increase his release clause,” Benfica president Filipe Vieira told Tuttosport, in quotes cited by ESPN FC.
“He is one of the best products to have emerged from Portuguese football since Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Felix currently has a €120m release clause on a deal through to 2023, which Benfica are keen to improve.
“My dream has always been to play for the biggest clubs in Europe,” Felix said earlier this month, in an interview with Marca.
“Spain or England? I would prefer to play in Spain.”
The player is said to be versatile and can operate in a number of attacking positions, while he starred in the UEFA Youth League semi-finals in 2016-17 against Madrid.
