The Manchester United first team squad actually looks fairly solid when you look at it on paper. Admittedly there have been some horrific performances, but it’s always looked like a few key additions could elevate the team back towards the Champions League level.
The main focus for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should be trying to find those top level players who can make the difference at the highest level, but it also makes sense to get some versatile talent with promise into the squad as well.
They look particularly vulnerable in midfield and full back when injuries start to mount up, so the connection to Benfica’s versatile midfielder/defender Gedson Fernandes does make sense.
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Sky Sports have reported on the latest with him, and it does sound like he could be available if United want him. They suggest that the player wants to move to England and his representatives have spoken to four Premier League clubs so far.
They do say he’s a United target, but we don’t know if they are one of the teams that’s been spoken to.
Interestingly the operation could be fairly cheap by modern standards. They do state he has a release clause of £102m. but Benfica don’t expect to get anywhere close to that for him.
Instead they want to do an 18 month loan deal with an option to buy at the end. If that option isn’t mandatory then this could be the perfect move for Solskjaer. He can have a good look at the player but move him on if he’s not up to standard.
He’s been a regular for Benfica and Portugal at youth level but hasn’t truly established himself as a senior player yet. He certainly looks talented and it would be a risk, but he fits the profile of recent United signings.