Manchester United’s transfer business in the summer focussed heavily on signing young players instead of big-name superstars as was the philosophy under the Glazers.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe had made it clear that the club would try and unearth gems instead of buying them and that showed with the first-team recruitment with five players signed, all below 26.
A lot of emphasis was also placed on academy recruitment with the likes of Samuel Lusale, Chido Obi-Martin and James Overy all signed.
And INEOS are not done there with HITC Football revealing that the Red Devils are currently eyeing Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Geovany Quenda.
Quenda, the new star on the horizon
The left-footed right-winger is already a first-team regular, at the tender age of 17, and was even called up to the Portugal national team during the international break.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez and Manchester City star Bernardo Silva are fans with the diminutive playmaker even going on to claim that the Sporting ace will likely take over his role in the future.
“Quenda will probably steal my place. He is playing in a position that I can occupy on the pitch. At 17, I wasn’t even playing for Benfica’s youth team!,” Silva told A Bola.
High praise indeed and that is exactly why United have been joined in the race by rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham.
Quenda’s current deal is valid until 2027 but Sporting do not want to take any chances and have thus included a £84 million release clause in his contract to ward off potential suitors.
Sporting include mammoth release clause
“Sporting Lisbon have handed Geovany Quenda an £84 million release clause in an attempt to ward off Premier League giants Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.”
The winger recently became the youngest Portuguese to start a Champions League match when his team got the better of Lille on Tuesday.
It will be interesting to see how he performs after this new-found fame and which club can muster up the funds required to snatch him away from Portugal.
United have great relations with the Portuguese outfit, having dealt with them in the past when signing club legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani. But with so many clubs in the race, it will be far from easy.
Feature image Diogo Cardoso via Getty Images
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