Ahead of the opening of the January transfer window, it appears that both Liverpool and Man United have been dealt a bitter blow in pursuit of one of their reported targets.
According to the Daily Mirror, Sporting’s 18-year-old wunderkind, Nuno Mendes, has signed a new long-term contract with the Portuguese giants, meaning that if either of the Premier League clubs wants to prise him away, they’ll now need to find £63m to do so.
The Mirror acknowledge reports which suggested that the Reds recently had a bid of £19m turned down, although it’s believed that an offer in the region of £40m would’ve been accepted.
With the new deal signed and sealed, tying the player to Sporting until 2025, both clubs will need to dig deep if they want to get a player who has been marked for greatness.
If it was a game of brinksmanship on the part of the Portuguese, it’s likely to have backfired, because it’s doubtful that either will stretch to such a lofty amount, whether the player has promise or otherwise.