Manchester United are plotting a move for Sporting Lisbon sensation Geovany Quenda who could become one of new manager Ruben Amorim’s first signings.
Erik ten Hag’s successor was appointed earlier this month but begun work in earnest earlier this week and will take charge of his first game this weekend when United face Ipswich at Portman Road.
Amorim will be forced to work with the squad he has inherited until the start of January when the transfer window opens, but even then it is anticipated that United will remain frugal in the market.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the new key decision makers at Old Trafford are likely to keep their powder dry until the summer and provide the new manager with the funds to reshape the squad in his image.
Quenda, meanwhile, made a significant breakthrough at Sporting under Amorim and the highly-rated forward is already among European football’s most coveted young talents.
The 17-year-old’s current deal is understood to contain a €100 million release clause and Sporting are unlikely to countenance any offers, according to A Bola, below the €40m mark.
United’s interest in Quenda is understood to have predated Amorim’s arrival but the new manager’s presence is only likely to strengthen their chances of winning the race to sign him.
Quenda, ironically, received his first call-up to the senior Portugal national team squad last week, in part, owing to the suspension that Bruno Fernandes will serve against Croatia this evening.
‘There’s a World Cup finals in 18 months. The game against Croatia is important, we need to look at other players,’ explained Roberto Martinez.
‘We’re going to let go of Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, who is suspended – so we’re going to call up Fabio Silva and [Geovany] Quenda from the Under-21s.’
United are also among a number of clubs harbouring interest in Sporting’s Swedish goal machine, Viktor Gyokeres, but Amorim has thus far remained coy on whether or not he will raid his old club to strengthen his new one.
‘I won’t be signing [Sporting players] in January, that’s what I said,’ Amorim told reporters last week.
‘I don’t know about the summer. The main thing is to hold on until the summer [laughs].
‘After that, we’ll see, Sporting’s players are very good players. I don’t know. we’ll see.’
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