Benfica have slapped a £36 million price-tag on winger Angel di Maria.

The Daily Mail says Di Maria has emerged as an integral part of a free-scoring Benfica side who have set their sights on a Portuguese League and Europa League double this season.

Chelsea watched him for a third time in a matter of months, in Benfica's recent 5-0 rout of Everton in the Stadium of Light, but have been forced to concede they cannot match City's spending power.

With Barcelona continuing to monitor Robinho, and likely to launch a renewed attempt to sign him in the January window, Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has scoured the market for a left-sided attacker and concluded Di Maria is the best around.

But the 21-year old Argentina left-winger will not come cheap. He signed a contract extension last month until June 2015 containing a £36million escape clause, and Benfica will insist it is paid in full before letting him go.