LISBON (AFP) - Portuguese giants Benfica are courting Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United, Carlos Queiroz, to become their new coach, the Portuguese press reported on Friday.

Sports daily A Bola said that informal talks between the two clubs had already taken place while Diario de Noticias said that a deal which would take Queiroz to Lisbon was all but sealed.

The 55-year-old Queiroz, who has been with Ferguson at Old Trafford since 2004, has already made it clear that he was honoured by the interest shown in him by Benfica.

He has been head coach for the national sides of Portugal, the United Arad Emirates and South Africa as well as Real Madrid before taking up the Manchester job in 2004.

Benfica, who have been forced to play second fiddle to FC Porto on the domestic front in recent years, parted company with their Spanish coach Jose Antonio Camacho on March 9.

He was replaced on an interim basis by former Portuguese international Fernando Chalana and he will be in charge to the end of the season.

Benfica are currently lying second in the league, 16 points adrift of FC Porto.