Manchester United will reportedly face competition from a Premier League rival over one-half of a double swoop for two of Sporting CP’s best players.
The Red Devils are gearing up for a busy summer transfer window, with wheels now in motion following Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team’s decision to stick with manager Erik ten Hag.
Despite sounding out other candidates such as Thomas Tuchel for the top job at Old Trafford, Ratcliffe is keeping the faith with the Dutchman and that means the club can now work on rebuilding his squad.
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Help is needed across the pitch at Old Trafford, with a new centre-back, central midfielder and striker three of the reported priorities.
And according to reports, the Red Devils could look to Sporting to tick off two of those needs.
That’s because Teamtalk claim that Sporting centre-back Goncalo Inacio is viewed as the club’s top defensive target after Everton knocked back a bid for Jarrad Branthwaite.
Inacio is currently away with Portugal at Euro 2024 and has been a key part of a Sporting team that have won the Primeira Liga twice in the past three years.
The 22-year-old has a reported €60million release clause in his contract and the report claims that he is the defender that Manchester United are ‘most likely’ to buy this summer.
The Red Devils scouts in Portugal have also had their sights on Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand, according to A Bola. The Dane scored a brilliant equaliser against England at Euro 2024 this week, which was another highlight in an excellent season so far for the defence midfielder.
The Portuguese outlet claims that Ratcliffe is willing to pull the trigger on the 24-year-old’s €80million release clause, as a €140million double deal is talked up.
However, journalist Ben Jacobs claims that Manchester United’s Premier League rivals Tottenham are also in for the Dane, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain tracking him in recent weeks as well.
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