Alex Grimaldo wanted by Manchester City but Benfica defender's £38.5m price tag too high for Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola is interested in taking Alex Grimaldo from Benfica to Manchester City but he is unlikely to meet the Portuguese club's £38.5million asking price.

Full-backs are a priority for the City manger and O'Jogo reported this week that Benfica were about to earn £38.5m from the sale of a player they picked up from Barcelona for just £1.3m.

City are definitely keen on the left-sided defender but not in paying over the odds for the 21-year-old who Guardiola knows from his Barca days.

Alex Grimaldo in action for Benfica during a Champions League match earlier this month

Pep Guardiola is interested in taking Grimaldo from Benfica to Manchester City

Grimaldo became the youngest debutant ever in Spain's second division in 2011 when he played for Barca B aged 15 years and 349 days.

He suffered a serious knee injury in 2013 and when he recovered he found that Barcelona were happy to cash-in on him by selling him to Benfica. 

But his form since has catapulted him back onto the wish list of various top European clubs and City are in pole position because he wants to play for Guardiola again.

Grimaldo plays for Barcelona in a friendly match against Napoli in Geneva in August 2014

Grimaldo charges down the left for Benfica during a match against Belenenses