Benfica hope to sell David Luiz for at least £15 million in the summer.

The Daily Mail says Chelsea are ready to go head to head with Manchester United in a bid to sign Benfica defender David Luiz.

United have scouted the 6ft 1in Brazilian amid concerns about first-choice centre halves Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, who have both missed a raft of games because of injuries this season.

But Chelsea are ready to open the bidding for the £15million rated star after also being impressed with his performances for the Portuguese table-toppers.

Luiz, who can also play at left back, has a buy-out clause set at a whopping £45m, but Benfica would accept much less for a player who has also been linked to Real Madrid.

Chelsea have tracked the former Brazil Under 20 international since the summer, when sporting director Frank Arnesen checked him out along with other Benfica stars Angel di Maria and Fabio Coentrao.