Man Utd favourites for €40m deal thanks to Amorim relationship

Tom Weber

Updated: 11 Jan 2025 09:44 CST
3 min read

Manchester United are the favourites to land the signature of Goncalo Inacio, according to Portuguese media.

The Sporting CP centre-back's future has been thrown into doubt in recent days following the news that Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund have enquired about him.

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However, the Germans quickly cooled their interest after being informed by the Portuguese champions that they would want at least €35 million to €40m for the 23-year-old.

Nevertheless, the revelation that Sporting are willing to discuss a potential transfer appears to have prompted other clubs to take action. Inacio has a €60m release clause, so the Lisbon outfit's current, reduced demands have piqued the interest of suitors, chief among them Man Utd.

Man Utd want Inacio

The Red Devils have a long-standing interest in the left-footed centre-back and both A Bola and Maisfutebol report that they could launch a bid for him this month.

This is despite the fact that Ruben Amorim insisted that he would not raid his former club when he took the Man Utd job, although he likely underestimated the task ahead of him at the time.

Given Man Utd's Profit and Sustainability concerns, it is likely that the formula presented to Sporting in the event of a bid would be an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy Inacio in the summer for around €40m.

Due to the existing relationship with Amorim, Man Utd can be considered the favourites for his signature, while the existing link with the player's agent is also a boon.

Inacio is represented by Miguel Pinho, who is also the agent of Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes. It is claimed that Pinho has already been in England this week to discuss a potential move to Manchester, though it is still unclear whether Man Utd will actually formalise their interest.