Race to sign Man Utd No9 target heats up as €70m bid launched

Tom Weber

• Updated: 20 Jul 2023 19:53 BST
• 3 min read

Goncalo Ramos remains a sought-after commodity and Benfica have now rejected a €70 million bid.

The Portuguese sharpshooter has been on the radar of Europe's elite for a while, and those who hadn't yet heard of him certainly began taking note at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The 22-year-old finished the domestic season with 19 goals last term.

Unsurprisingly, then, and with several huge clubs in need of a proper number nine, Ramos' name has been floated alongside the likes of Harry Kane, Randal Kolo Muani and Victor Osimhen in recent months. Indeed, like his counterparts, the Benfica star has no shortage of suitors, but most clubs have been baulking at his release clause.

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The whopping €120m fee it would take to buy Ramos out of his contract at the Portuguese champions has been deemed unrealistic by most clubs, and Benfica now seem to agree as they have begun entertaining lower offers, perhaps also in light of claims that the player is keen to move after the club allegedly reneged on a pay rise promised last summer.

Recent reports suggest that the race to sign Ramos is finally hotting up.

Benfica reject approach

According to Portuguese paper Record, Benfica have rejected a €70m offer from an unnamed club. It is not the first bid Roger Schmidt's side have received for Ramos and it won't be the last.

Though Record did not mention a club, O Globo claim that it was Paris Saint-Germain who submitted the offer, with new head coach Luis Enrique reportedly a huge fan of the young striker.

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Manchester United and Newcastle have also been interested, but Benfica are said to want at least €80m and it is doubtful whether either club has the economic wiggle room to make a move without butting up against Financial Fair Play regulations. Nevertheless, it is claimed that the Red Devils recently saw a player-plus-cash deal rejected.