Everton target Rafael Leao had greater potential as a teenager than Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo.

That's according to the Lille attacker's former Sporting CP coach Tiago Fernandes.

"I pushed [former Sporting manager] Jorge Jesus to take him in first team," he told L'Equipe.

“I said to him: 'Yes, Gelson Martins has talent but Rafael is the best player in the history of the Sporting Academy.

“As a youngster he was better than Cristiano Ronaldo."