Barcelona explored signing Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos over the summer.

The 21-year-old is being celebrated today after displacing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting line-up for Portugal and scored a hat-trick in their 6-1 demolition of Switzerland on Tuesday.

His performances will surely attract attention from a number of top European clubs, but reports claim Barcelona had been advised to sign Ramos prior to the World Cup.

Sport says super agent Jorge Mendes put forward Ramos' name as a potential option during the summer transfer window.

Mendes knew the club might have to sign a replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who left to join Chelsea, leaving no back-up to Robert Lewandowski.

In-fact, had Memphis Depay decided to leave the club, it's increasingly likely that the Catalan side would've acted to sign the Benfica wonderkid.