Manchester United will have a meeting with Sporting Lisbon midfielder Bruno Fernandes’s agent this week, according to reports in Portugal.

The 24-year-old has also been linked with Liverpool and Chelsea in recent months, but the Red Devils are keen to beat the competition.

Fernandes has a €100m (£87m) release clause but Sporting are said to be prepared to let the midfielder leave for between €60m (£52m) and €70m (£61m) to ease their financial problems.

The Portuguese side have been trying to restructure their debts, and the sale of Fernandes would go a long way to balancing the books.

Fernandes is their star player, having been in sensational goalscoring form over the past two seasons.

Since joining from Sampdoria for €8.5m in July 2017, he has scored 38 goals in 95 games. He has 22 this season alone, providing 11 assists in the process.

The Portuguese international generally plays in the number 10 position, but can also play in a deeper role.