Manchester City scout Audrio Magalhaes “travelled” to watch Sport Recife right-back Pedro Lima last Saturday, according to Globo Esporte.

The 17-year-old played against Nautico in the final of the Campeonato Pernambucano. The game ended 0-0 but Sport Recife were already 2-0 up from the first leg, which meant Lima’s side secured an aggregate victory.

Lima has only recently broken into Sport Recife’s first team, but he is likely to have to come to the attention of City’s recruitment team after his performances at the Under 17 World Cup.

The teenager started all five of Brazil’s matches at the tournament (including the group game against England), before his team were knocked out by Argentina at the quarter-final stage.

Lima has played just 13 senior games

After the World Cup, the defender returned to Sport Recife where he was handed his senior debut against Afogados in the group stage of the Campeonato Pernambucano.

Lima has subsequently made 12 further appearances for the first team, including matches in the Copa do Brasil and the Copa do Nordeste. It’s likely that he will play his first league fixture when Sport Recife start their Brazilian Serie B campaign against Amazonas on Friday week.

City will have competition for the player’s signature

The Premier League champions are not the only English team who have been monitoring Lima’s development in recent months. Globo Esporte claim that both Chelsea and Liverpool have also made enquiries about the defender.

At the moment, Sport Recife are not believed to be open to offers from European clubs, with the priority being to fast-track the fullback’s involvement in the first-team setup.

However, it is almost guaranteed that City’s scout Magalhaes will be in stands for many of Sport Recife’s between now and the end of the Serie B season. A bid this summer seems unlikely but things could change next January.