Porto are determined to hold on to starlet Ruben Neves this winter, despite mounting interest from the Premier League's elite.

Long-term admirers Liverpool have more recently seen Arsenal and Chelsea joining the hunt.

The Gunners are now having the 18-year-old midfielder watched almost weekly, and have sent different scouts to view him in order to gain a rounded assessment of the player.

Neves, who is represented by super-agent Jorge Mendes, is a deep-lying midfielder who has attracted praise for his maturity and technique.

He became the youngest-ever player to feature for Portugal's U21 side and is now playing regular first-team football at Porto.

Liverpool have been scouting the teenaged playmaker for a year now, as revealed by MirrorFootball, and appeared to be favourites to sign Neves until Arsenal's recent surge in interest.

Yet sources close to the Portuguese club insist they will look to retain Neves until at least next summer, and will use regular football ahead of Euro 2016 as an incentive for the player to stay.

Source: Daily Mirror