With Manchester United reportedly closing in on signing full-back Diogo Dalot from Porto, here is everything you need to know about the 19-year-old Portuguese prodigy.
1. He has always been considered a top talent
Dalot's talent was easy for all to see when he started kicking the ball. Ever since joining Fintas academy in his hometown of Braga at the age of 6, he appeared destined for greatness. Not for nothing did the Fintas coaches let him train with children three years older than him, which is absolutely incredible for that age group.
When Dalot was 8, both Benfica and Porto wanted to sign him. The kid spent two weeks with the Eagles in Lisbon, but the distance from Braga was too much. Porto were a much more logical option, especially because Dalot supported the Dragons. He never regretted the choice, making steady progress and becoming universally considered the top prospect at the Porto academy. By the age of 16, he was training with the first squad at the request of the coach, Julen Lopetegui.
2. He is a champion of Europe
Shortly afterward, Dalot played a crucial part as Portugal won the under-17 European championship in May 2016. Part of the defensive line that amusingly featured three more Porto players named Diogo (goalkeeper Diogo Costa and centre-backs Diogo Queiros and Diogo Leite), he made a huge impression on the right flank.
Portugal conceded only one goal in the competition, in the 1-1 draw against Spain in the final, and even that wasn't Dalot's fault. The defender, who netted in the semifinals against Holland, duly netted in the final, as well, with a crisp shot, and then proceeded to take a successful penalty in the shootout. He was rightfully chosen for the team of the tournament, and that was the case in the under-19 Euros, as well, when Portugal lost to Ryan Sessegnon's England in the final.
Even though Dalot celebrated his 19th birthday only two months ago, he was an integral part of the under-21 national team as early as 2017, and he has 55 youth caps to his name overall.
3. He provided two assists on his Porto debut
Given his phenomenal potential, Dalot probably had to wait a bit too long while playing for Porto B in the second division before coach Sergio Conceicao gave him a chance in February. Playing in the starting lineup for the first time in place of the injured left-back Alex Telles, the youngster provided two assists in a 5-1 thrashing of Portimonense.
His first home fixture at Estadio Do Dragao was the big clash against Sporting Lisbon, and Dalot wasn't showing any nerves, putting in an excellent performance in the 2-1 win that paved the way to the league title. A few days later, he played in the Champions League for the first time in a goalless draw against Liverpool at Anfield, and the Manchester United scouts were apparently impressed.
Written by Michael Yokhin, ESPN