Dundee United youngster Ryan Gauld appears to be closing in on a move to Sporting Lisbon after the two clubs reportedly agreed a £3m fee for his services.

The skilful 18-year-old has been compared to Lionel Messi following his displays for the Terrors in the Scottish Premiership last season, as he scored seven times in 34 appearances.

European giants Real Madrid and Roma have been linked with a move for the Scotland Under-21 international, while Manchester United and Arsenal were believed to be leading the Premier League interest.

However, Sky Sports News understands that Portuguese outfit Sporting have won the race to sign the highly-rated teenager, with United thought to have accepted their bid for Gauld on Monday.

Gauld is expected to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms in Lisbon in the coming days.