Manchester City have joined forces with two Portuguese clubs.

The Independent says City are providing "scouting, marketing and merchandising advice" at Gil Vicente, a club in northern Portugal, and also pursuing shares in Boavista, the Porto-based club, according to sources in that country.

City hope the collaboration will give them a competitive advantage in the recruitment of Brazilian players and may boost future attempts to pass Uefa's Financial Fair Play test.

City could use the clubs to develop players for whom they are unable to secure UK work permits - then move them to Manchester once they have acquired the requisite experience to qualify for a UK permit, or sell them for profit.