Manchester City have made an official enquiry to sign Benfica left-back Alejandro Grimaldo, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed

The Sky Blues signed Sergio Gomez from Anderlecht over the summer after failing to land number one target Marc Cucurella, who ended up joining Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Joao Cancelo has recently been operating at right-back to cover for the injured Kyle Walker, which has now left Pep Guardiola looking at other options on the left.

Following a fresh update, it appears that the 26-year-old Grimaldo has been identified as the ideal target to make the move to the Etihad…

The Latest: Man City make Grimaldo enquiry

According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato (via Sport Witness), Man City have ‘gathered information’ about Grimaldo, but face competition for his signature from Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Juventus.

It’s believed that the Portuguese giants would ‘consider his farewell’ in January, to avoid him leaving on a free next summer when his contract expires.

The Verdict: Cancelo alternative

Gomez has only made one competitive start for City since joining so it makes sense that Guardiola wants more senior cover for Cancelo, and Grimaldo would be an extremely exciting arrival.

The Spaniard, who is ‘good enough to play for any side’ according to Benfica sporting director Tiago Pinto, has already provided two assists in the opening six Primeira Liga games, and averages 2.2 key passes per 90 minutes (WhoScored).

Benfica will be keen to cash in during the upcoming window meaning a cut-price deal could be available, and it would be a bargain for the Blues should they be able to secure his services.