Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly set to win the race for in-demand Benfica midfielder Cher Ndour.
The 18-year-old has made a name for himself in the Eagles' academy since leaving Atalanta in the summer of 2020 and made his senior debut for the club against Vitoria Guimaraes in a Primeira Liga clash in March.
While slowly being integrated into the senior setup, Ndour turned out for Benfica's B team in the second tier of Portuguese football, registering four goals and an assist from 30 appearances in all tournaments.
The Italy Under-20 international also caught the eye with his performances in the 2021-22 UEFA Youth League, scoring three goals and providing one assist, including one strike in a 6-0 thrashing of Red Bull Salzburg in the final.
Primarily a central midfielder, Ndour has also been deployed as a number 10 and second striker, and he has one goal to show from seven appearances for Italy's Under-20s.
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However, Ndour's contract with Benfica is due to expire at the end of the month, and he has apparently decided to leave the Portuguese champions in search of pastures new.
Manchester City and Manchester United are both said to have been monitoring Ndour's progress, but according to Fabrizio Romano, the teenager is now on the verge of signing for PSG.
Romano claims that Benfica have overtaken a "top" unnamed English club to jump to the head of the queue, and talks have progressed rapidly with Ndour's entourage.
The midfielder is understood to be keen on a move to PSG, although it is unclear if the French champions would immediately integrate him into the first team at the Parc des Princes.
Les Parisiens bolstered their midfield ranks significantly last summer, with all of Renato Sanches, Carlos Soler, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz making the move to the French capital.
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However, none of the quartet set the world alight during their debut campaigns, while Ruiz has also been linked with a move away amid reported interest from Burnley.
Ruiz supposedly has no desire to leave, but Marco Verratti is also said to be on the radar of Manchester City and Real Madrid, while Leandro Paredes is also expected to depart permanently.
PSG are already believed to have completed deals to sign Marco Asensio and Manuel Ugarte this summer, but both players may not be officially unveiled by the club until July.
Les Parisiens are also said to be closing in on the signing of Mallorca attacker Lee Kang-in, who was also on the radar of Man United as well as Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Lionel Messi has already confirmed his imminent exit from PSG, and the club could also try to sell Kylian Mbappe after he stated that he would not be extending his deal beyond 2024, but the Frenchman has claimed that he intends to stay on for next season.
Ben Knapton
