Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola remains interested in bringing defender Alex Grimaldo to the club from Benfica, according to a report.

The Citizens are said to have cooled their interest in the 21-year-old earlier this year due to his hefty £38.5m price tag, which they were simply unwilling to pay.

However, the Daily Mail claims that City are desperate to bring a full-back to the club in the New Year and are still looking into the prospect of signing the youngster, who became the youngest debutant ever in Spain's second tier in 2011 at the age of 15.

Grimaldo, brought to Benfica from Barcelona for just £1.3m, is known well by Guardiola following his stint at Camp Nou, but the Citizens could face stiff competition from rivals Manchester United should they indeed decide to make a bid.

United scouts were in attendance for Benfica's 4-0 victory over Feirense last month - a match in which Grimaldo registered, soon to be followed by a second goal in the recent win over Belenenses.