Manchester United are reportedly ready to make a mammoth offer to land a talent they’ve been scouting since well before Ruben Amorim’s arrival at Old Trafford, it has been reported.
Manchester United's new transfer strategy
The arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe saw Manchester United pivot away from a manager-led transfer strategy and towards a more sensible model, with Jason Wilcox and Dan Ashworth poached from fellow Premier League sides in a bid to improve the club’s returns in the transfer market after years of wasting hundreds of millions of pounds.
That was perhaps underlined most clearly by Erik ten Hag’s reign at the club, with the likes of Mason Mount, Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Casemiro all bought at the request of the Dutchman and none having impressed in Manchester, thanks to a mixture of form and injury.
Player
Cost
Antony
£86m
Rasmus Hojlund
£61m
Casemiro
£60m
Leny Yoro
£59m
Mason Mount
£55m
The most recent summer saw this change implemented, with younger players such as Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee signed by the Red Devils, and though this has yet to bear fruit for the Premier League giants, it is a clear sign of a move away from their former marquee signing targets such as Frenkie de Jong.
The arrival of Ruben Amorim is unlikely to change that, with the ex-Sporting coach arriving in a head coach role rather than a managerial capacity, while transfers are still likely to be led by those behind the scenes at Old Trafford.
To that end, they are ready to break the bank for a player they have scouted since well before Amorim’s appointment.
Manchester United ready to bid for forward
That is according to reports from England and Portugal, which point to Geovany Quenda as the player in question.
Of course, Amorim knows the teenager well, having handed him his debut at Sporting and watched his development during his time as manager in Portugal. However, The Telegraph reports that the Red Devils have had him on their radar for some time.
“United have been linked with Quenda since Amorim’s appointment but it is understood that club scouts watched the winger last season, well before Erik ten Hag was sacked and his successor targeted,” it claims.
Of course, Amorim is likely to be able to provide a more detailed report on the Portuguese U21 star, who is already splitting his time between the U21 and senior national sides.
Meanwhile, reports in Portugal go further, with A Bola (via Sport Witness) revealing that the Red Devils are prepared to make a mammoth €60m (£50m) bid to secure the teenager’s services in the coming transfer windows.
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Amorim used Quenda as a wingback during his time at Sporting, a role filled by Amad Diallo in the manager’s opening 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town, but it is added that he “wants to reunite with the youngster at Old Trafford and the Premier League side are ready to fulfil his wish”.
To that end, Manchester United are “preparing an offer’ of €60m plus bonuses”, a base from which “Sporting are open to negotiating” despite the teen having a €100m release clause in his contract in Lisbon.
However, any deal will likely have to wait until the summer, with Amorim having already promised not to raid his former side midway through the season.
With plenty of Sporting players likely to be linked with a move to Old Trafford between now and then, Quenda could be one of the most exciting.
