Sporting Lisbon are willing to sell Manchester United target Geovany Quenda for €60m (£50m), according to reports in Portugal.

The 17-year-old is believed to have been identified by Ruben Amorim as the perfect fit for his 3-4-3 system but there were concerns that they would need to match his €100m (£83m) release clause to secure his signature.

However, the A Bola newspaper (via thefaithfulmufc.com) say that Sporting are willing to compromise and offload Quenda for €40m (£33m) below that figure.

It is still a substantial sum for such a young player but the fact that there is room for negotiation on the transfer fee suggests a move could happen during the January transfer window.

Quenda has been praised by his national team manager

Speaking last year, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez singled out the wingback for his ability, stating that the player is showing maturity well beyond his years:

“National coaches always say that age is not a criterion. I like Quenda’s example because it exemplifies this perfectly. He has shown incredible personality, quality, and adaptability. A player who loves to create imbalances. Technical quality, but a quality that is not normal for someone at 17 years old.”

“He had an excellent European Championship with the U17s. He has stepped into the first team of Sporting and demonstrated an astonishing personality. And now he has shown that he is ready for the national team. Great news for Portuguese football.”

United may need more than one wingback

Quenda has generally played on the right flank for Sporting so it might be the case that the Red Devils will also seek an option for the opposite wing.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes, another of Amorim’s former players, is said to be open to making the switch to Old Trafford, so we shall see if an approach is made for him as well.

Find out who is in Manchester United’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here