Leeds United are 'lining up' a bid to sign Portuguese centre-back Diogo Monteiro from Swiss Super League outfit Servette during the January transfer window.
That is according to The Athletic, who claim that the Whites have identified the 17-year-old, who turns 18 at the end of the month, as part of their 'anticipating talent' recruitment programme.
Monteiro signed his first professional contract with Servette in June 2020, but that three-year deal is set to expire at the end of the season.
The Whites will be hoping to repeat the trick of previous signings, such as Sam Greenwood, Crysencio Summerville and Cody Drameh, who have all gone onto represent the first team.
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Monteiro was born in Switzerland but has represented Portugal over 30 times at youth level. The defender started out at Etoile Carouge, before he was plucked from their youth system by top-flight club Servette on a free transfer.
He was handed his under-21 debut aged just 15, and also helped guide the under-18s to silverware in the Schweizer U18-Cup (Switzerland's domestic youth cup). Afterwards, Monteiro became the third youngest player to feature in Super League history, as he made his senior bow with a one-minute cameo from the bench in a 2-1 win over FC Basel in March 2021.
Monteiro also became the youngest defender ever to play in a Super League match, and has added a further six appearances across all competitions for the first team this term.
The centre-back has been a constant in Portugal's youth teams since his maiden appearance for the under-15s at the age of just 14 years and three months old in April 2019.
He has been capped 34 times by Portugal across their various youth teams, including 10 outings for the under-16s, and a further 17 with the under-17 age group.
It was with the latter that he thrived the most, captaining Portugal and playing every minute as they reached the semi-finals of the Under-17 European Championship last year.
Monteiro now plays for Portugal under-19s, where he has starred alongside the likes of Hugo Felix (the younger brother of Chelsea loanee Joao Felix), and the promising young Sporting Lisbon duo Matheus Fernandes and Rodrigo Ribeiro.
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