Following Ruben Amorim’s appointment at Manchester United, speculation quickly emerged about which of Sporting’s title-winning stars could follow him to the Premier League giants.
Man United have been linked with Viktor Gyokeres for some time, now, even long before Ruben Amorim’s arrival.
The Red Devils reportedly like Morten Hjulmand too – Sporting’s captain and the man who sets the tone in the centre of the park – while defensive colossus Ousmane Diomande and wonderkid wing-back Geovany Quenda have dominated plenty of column inches in recent weeks.
Goncalo Inacio was mentioned back in 2023 as well.
Amorim could not rule out signing Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves for Manchester United when pressed on the subject a few weeks back, meanwhile.
Manchester United tipped to sign Benfica’s Tomas Araujo
But, though Sporting may be the dominant force of Portuguese football these days, the finest talents in Iberia are not limited to the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Take Tomas Araujo, for instance. The towering, 22-year-old Benfica centre-back who recently earned his first cap for the Portuguese national team. A defender recently linked with Chelsea, and for whom Benfica reportedly turned down a £25 million bid from Crystal Palace over the summer.
Benfica want closer to £50 million. Around the same fee that is required to lure Inacio away.
While Man United may have added Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro to their defensive ranks, another centre-half should be high on the agenda heading into 2025. Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire all due to depart as free-agents, as things stand.
And Rafael Soares, while tipping Man United to renew their interest in Inacio, would not be surprised to see Araujo emerge pretty highly on the Red Devils’ wishlist too.
“I even think it makes sense [for Man United to target Inacio and Araujo], because they are two central defenders who have the talent to leave Portugal,” Soares tells Record na Hora.
Soares accepts that Inacio, who has a £51 million release clause in his contract, may be hard pushed if tasked with forcing Lisandro Martinez out of Man United’s XI. The right-footed Araujo, meanwhile, would face competition from De Ligt and Yoro.
But Soares is keen to see what Araujo could do in a three-at-the-back system, under a coach famed for unleashing the potential of his young talents.
“Goncalo Inacio is a central defender who plays on the left and then there is Lisandro Martinez, who seems to be a certainty in the United eleven,” Soares adds.
“In the case of Tomas Araujo, I’m very curious to see him in a three-centre-back system – something that doesn’t happen at Benfica – because of all the quality he has on the ball in addition to his defensive growth.
“I think he could very well fit into a three-centre-back system with Ruben Amorim.”
Ruben Amorim says Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro will be back soon
As Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo point out, there is an air of Gerard Pique in the way Araujo carries himself on the pitch. A ball-playing swagger and an icy self-belief for a man who could soon become the latest big-money departure from Portuguese football.
Man United host Everton on Sunday, meanwhile, with De Ligt, Martinez and the excellent Noussair Mazraoui likely to start in the back three. Martinez made his United return as Rasmus Hojlund’s brace saw off Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.
Amorim insists that Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro will return sooner rather than later, too.
“It is a different situation with Harry. We need [Maguire and Yoro] but they are in different situations. They are training,” Amorim said in midweek. “Harry will soon be on the pitch.
“[Yoro is available to train, but we are working on his fitness. Its very important, the fitness. We will try and put everything together because he is a great talent.
“We believe a lot in him.”
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/JqFXEDt