Bayern Munich are sending scouts to watch Manchester United transfer target Ousmane Diomande in action for Sporting Lisbon against RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Centre half Diomande, 20, has admirers across the continent after impressing for Sporting since joining the Portuguese club nearly 18 months ago - when given a chance by Ruben Amorim.
Fellow Sporting stars Viktor Gyokeres and Geovany Quenda have been linked with the Red Devils in recent weeks and United also appear to hold a keen interest in Diomande.
He also appeared to be on the radar of neighbours City before they signed two defenders in as many days. But Amorim is said to have already spoken with Diomande about the possibility of working together again at Old Trafford.
That is unlikely to stop other clubs across Europe from making admiring glances at Diomande, though.
Diomande is believed to have a €80million (£66m) release clause written into his contract, meaning Sporting would stand to profit big time on a player they snapped up from Danish outfit Midtjylland.
But his agent Luis Cassaiano Neves recently moved to cool transfer speculation, citing that Sporting was the perfect environment for his development. He told Portuguese outlet A Bola : "He is extremely satisfied at Sporting, he is very focused on the club and the objectives for this season, which include winning the national title and improving.
"He knows that Sporting is the ideal club for this evolution. Sporting is Diomande’s present and future and it is where he wants to evolve."
United's current squad were described by Amorim following Sunday's latest defeat at home to Brighton as among the worst in the club's history. They face a crunch Europa League tie against Rangers at Old Trafford on Thursday night before visiting Fulham on Sunday evening.
But the club must also move on several players before they can spend big in the transfer market, with a number of high-earners including Antony, Marcus Rashford and Casemiro free to leave should the right offer be made.