Manchester United look to the future with €4m offer for Brazilian starlet Joao Pedro

Manchester United are keen on bringing Palmeiras youngster Joao Pedro to Old Trafford and have made an opening bid of €4m (£2.8m, $4.4m) for the full back, according to Fox Sports Brasil.

Pedro, 18, featured alongside current United starlet Andreas Pereira for Brazil at the Under-20 World Cup in June at which he was one of his side's most consistent performers in a competition where they finished runners up.

Fox Sport Brasil claim United have opened negotiations with the Brazilian club but are yet to receive a response to their opening bid.

Given Pedro's age, any move to Old Trafford would likely see him initially join the club's Under-21 ranks. Warren Joyce's side are light on natural right back options following Saido Janko's move to Celtic.

United's Brazilian contingent has shortened in recent years with both Fabio da Silva and Anderson leaving the club in the past two years and Rafael da Silva likely to leave too after Louis van Gaal told him he was no longer needed, according to the full back's agent.

Rafael, whose current deal expires in 2016, endured another season interrupted by injury during the 2014-15 campaign, with Antonio Valencia becoming the club's first choice option at right-back in his absence.

With Matteo Darmian's arrival at Old Trafford, the former Fluminense starlet has slipped further down the pecking order and on 13 July he was left out of the club's pre-season squad travelling to the US.

Galatasaray and Roma have both been linked with moves for the player and his agent confirmed in June talks were under way over a move.

"Roma would be a destination more than welcome, we would be more than happy to talk to the club of the capital," Pereira told Tutto Mercato Web. "Italy would be a great opportunity."

"His contract expires in June 2016 and the coach Louis Van Gaal said he did not count on him. So the player wants to leave and we are talking with clubs."