Manchester City have entered the race for Leeds United star Raphinha.

That's according to Italian transfer journalist Gianluigi Longari, who claims Manchester United and Liverpool are still interested, but they now face fresh competition from the champions elect.

City can win the Premier League title this weekend if they beat Crystal Palace and Liverpool beat Manchester United, so can soon start looking to next season's transfer plans.

And Pep Guardiola is looking to beat Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to the coveted signature of the Leeds winger.

Longari adds that 'nothing is decided yet' and that 'LUFC want to keep him', having signed the youngster from Rennes for £17million last summer.

Raphinha a revelation at Elland Road

Raphinha has been directly involved in 12 goals in his first season in the top-flight (six goals, six assists), an impressive return for a young winger on his first crack at the Premier League.

The Brazilian is in the league's top six for chances created per 90 minutes, edged only by Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish. He's also in the top 15 for successful dribbles per game with 1.9.

Such performances have even seen him labelled a 'monster' by his compatriot Lucas Moura.

Transfer Tavern verdict

Raphinha still has three years left on the contract he signed on arrival, so expect Leeds to demand a huge profit if they are to sell.

Intriguingly, though, this development comes shortly after a new winger emerged as a target for the Yorkshire outfit.

Football FanCast revealed this week that Director of Football Victor Orta had held talks with the agent of Rubin Kazan's Khvicha Kvaratskheila.

The four-goal, eight-assist Georgian has predominantly been used on the left this season, rather than the right, but Transfermarkt list him as two-footed, so perhaps the Whites are plotting a contingency plan in case an offer for Raphinha is too good to turn down.

In other news, Leeds have been backed to pull off a mighty coup.