Sporting CP Prodigy Nuno Mendes on Radars of Arsenal & Liverpool

Sporting CP's teenage left-back Nuno Mendes has caught the eye of Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Liverpool.

Despite being just 18 years old, the full back, who can also play on the left side of midfield, has made a name for himself in Portugal after breaking into Sporting CP's first team at the age of 17.

With 11 appearances for Sporting already under his belt, as well as his first ever professional goal -scored against Portimonese this month - the youngster has unsurprisingly been linked with a host of Europe's elite clubs.

Two Premier League duo are now the latest to register their interest, according to A Bola, who are reporting that both Arsenal and Liverpool have joined the list of suitors pursuing Mendes.

However, it won't be easy for either club to snare Mendes - Liverpool and the Gunners are not the only teams to have scouted the starlet, with Juventus and AC Milan also named as possible destinations for the Portuguese youth international.

Moreover, Sporting will demand nothing less than Mendes' €45m release clause, although they have accepted that should a club produce this sum, they would have no choice but to let their young academy product go.

Mendes was previously a reported target for Manchester United, according to a report from Portuguese tabloid Record.

The Red Devils were reportedly looking to take advantage of the fact that Mendes shares his agent, Miguel Pinho, with Bruno Fernandes, and were even exploring the possibility of potentially including the youngster in negotiations for their new midfielder.

With Sporting said to be in an unstable financial position, even prior to the stoppage of football due to Covid-19, it was speculated that they would not be opposed to cashing in on their much-vaunted prospect.