Benfica’s young stars have been attracting attention across Europe this season with the attacking talents of João Félix potentially loosening the pockets of club presidents this summer with a bidding war expected for the 19-year-old with Real Madrid expected to be at the front of the queue with Juventus.

One player who has flown mostly under the radar so far is Francisco Reis Ferreira, Ferro, a 22-year-old central defender who was only promoted to the senior Benfica side in February but has already become a regular starter under Bruno Lage and bagged his first goal for the club on his debut in a 10-0 thrashing of Nacional, following that up with another a week later at Aves.

According to Portuguese sports daily A Bola, Real Madrid have been touch with Benfica to inquire about Ferro at the behest of Zinedine Zidane but may have been put off when quoted the full sum of his minimum release clause: 100 million euros.

Real Madrid to prioritise Félix this summer

The Bernabéu board see Ferro as a medium-term target to reinforce the back line and will in all likelihood concentrate on Félix this summer, even if Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has warned the Portuguese club will do “everything in its power” to retain the services of the Portugal international.

Ferro has played just 14 senior games for Benfica and has yet to represent the senior national side but Madrid are reportedly keeping a close eye on the defender having already added Éder Militão to Zidane’s squad for the 2019-20 season.