Porto defender Ricardo Pereira set for £22m Premier League switch this summer

Dream Team FC

LEICESTER are lining up a summer move for Porto defender Ricardo Pereira.

The right-back has impressed this season to put his club on course for the Portuguese league title.

Leicester are willing to part with £22m to land Porto right-back Ricardo PereiraEPA

Foxes boss Claude Puel wants a reunion with Pereira, having managed him during the 24-year-old’s loan spell with Nice.

And King Power spies have checked on the Portugal international defender several times this season.

Reports in Lisbon claim Leicester officials have flown to Porto in an attempt to convince the Primeira Liga club to sell.

Porto have written a £36million release clause into Pereira’s contract. Leicester are understood to have made an opening bid of around £22m.

The defender, left, has a £36m release clause in his contract but the Foxes are not willing to hit that feeEPA

Pereira worked with current manager Claude Puel when the duo were together at NiceAFP - Getty

Both Tottenham and Juventus showed interest in the Lisbon-born defender last summer.

Pereira spent time in both Benfica and Sporting Lisbon’s academies, and made his senior debut with Vitoria Guimaraes before Porto signed him in 2013.

Puel signed him on loan for Nice in 2015, and they worked together for a season before the Frenchman left to manage Southampton.

Pereira spent another year with Nice, returning to his parent club last summer.

Leicester manager Claude Puel knows what he is getting if he signs former player PereiraPA:Press Association

He helped Porto reach the Champions League Round of 16 before Liverpool beat them 5-0 on aggregate last month.

Born to parents hailing from Cape Verde, he has won Portugal caps from Under-19 level upwards.

Second-placed Porto will overtake Benfica to top the Primeira Liga if they win their game in hand at Belenenses on Monday night.

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