Middlesbrough have formed an official link-up with Brazilian side Ituano - where Teesside legend Juninho is president.
Ituano's sporting director Tiago Cruz has already spent time with Boro, and now an agreement is officially in place.
As part of the deal, Boro have already agreed to take 19-year-old pair Marcos Rhoden and Rafael Peireira on-loan until the end of the season.
Juninho, who sent Carlos Rodrigo Correa and Eduardo Favretto for trials with Boro last summer, will also act as Boro's presence in South America - helping to pick up any talent.
"Because of the connection with Juninho it's something we think could be a benefit, as we don't have an existing presence in South America and have no scouts there at all," Boro boss Tony Mowbray told the club's website.
"If there are players there with European passports who meet our budget and criteria, why would we not utilise that connection with Juninho's club? Hopefully it will bear fruit over the years."
No Neymar
Mowbray stressed that nobody should expect too much from the link-up in the near future.
"Juninho's football club aren't going to give us the next Neymar - if they had the next Neymar, he'd be costing someone 20, 30 or 40 million," he said.
"They're not going to let two young players come to us if they were going to help them win their league or win some games.
"They are a couple of young players who are not impacting on their team who they think have the right personality to come here and develop.
"The chairman's talked to them about where we are financially and if they did have the next Neymar, I'm pretty sure he would be going to Manchester United."
Mowbray, though, admitted that the young Brazilians coming in would get their chance to impress.
"Who knows?" he said. "I'm not going to prejudge them. If they're fantastic for the U21s, well Curtis Main played for the U21s this week and he played for the first team on Saturday. So let's wait and see.
"They won't train with the first team at the moment but it depends on their quality. I'm not closing the door on anyone - as we've seen with Bryn Morris, Jordan Jones, if they do well, we'll bring them in.
"But they're not here as first team players, they're here to join the development squad and see how they get on. It's at the embryonic stages at the moment but let's see how they develop."
Juninho is considered one of Middlesbrough's finest ever players, and spent three different spells with the club - which included reaching two major finals and also helping them to their Carling Cup win in 2004.
The 25-year-old, who scored 46 goals for the Gulls between 2007 and 2011, joined up with his team-mates on Monday and will be available for the clash with Rotherham at Plainmoor on Tuesday night.
The two clubs have also agreed an option to extend the loan deal for the forward, who left Torquay for Swindon two years ago, until the end of the season.
Benyon found his chances restricted at the County Ground and after a brief spell with Wycombe he made the permanent move to Southend 13 months ago.
But he made just 12 starts for Paul Sturrock's men before a return to Devon.
Los Blancos are currently 16 points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona and have recently slipped up against Granada, Valencia and Osasuna domestically.
With little hope of defending their Spanish crown, Manchester United manager Ferguson believes opposite number Jose Mourinho will be hellbent on steering Real to claiming Europe's top trophy for the first time in 11 years at Wembley in May.
Ferguson said: "I think their target is the European Cup. They got a bad start in the league and were chasing their tail a bit because Barcelona's form has been incredible.
"I think Jose has set his targets firmly on the European Cup, no doubt about that. It can be harder for us but there's a bit of pressure for them too.
"At this moment in time we're involved in three things. Jose has still got the semi-final of the Copa del Rey, they play Barca next week and then again in a league game before we play them on the Tuesday at Old Trafford. So they've got a big programme themselves.
"You look at English football and say it's a very, very difficult programme and every game is hard but you look at Madrid's programme at the moment and it's also very difficult. Every game is hard.
"It's always been important to them, the European Cup, and I don't think it (pressure) necessarily applies to Jose as I think he's done a great job there.
"He's really built up a terrific squad of players and could play two teams, like us. I don't think it applies to him but you never know in football.
"I don't think there's any secrecy in his own desire to win the European Cup as, don't forget, he'd be the only person to win it with three different teams so it's a fantastic challenge for Jose."
The two managers have enjoyed a friendly rivalry since first competing against one another during United's Champions League defeat to Porto in 2004.
Ferguson added: "I think he's pitting his wits against me. I think it's a great challenge - the two biggest clubs in the world and obviously it's a big game for us."
The 29-year-old was without a club after leaving St Johnstone in January and Bees boss Edgar Davids moved to bolster his attacking options.
Beattie, a former Scotland international, joined Celtic after being released by boyhood club Rangers, and scored 16 goals in 65 appearances for the Parkhead club.
He was then signed by West Brom for a reported ?1.25m, where he netted seven times in 41 games but struggled to become a regular starter.
Loan spells at Preston, Crystal Palace and Sheffield United followed, before he joined Swansea.
He spent two and a half years in Wales - including a brief spell on loan at Watford - prior to moving back to Scotland to join Hearts last February.
After nine appearances for the Edinburgh club, Beattie joined St Johnstone but had his contract terminated by mutual consent last month.
