Manchester United are in pole position to snap up Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio, according to Record.
The Portuguese tabloid reports that the Red Devils are “best placed” to secure the 22-year-old’s signature ahead of rival clubs, including Liverpool, who are also interested in the player.
Inacio does have a €60m (£51m) release clause in his contract, which makes him a very tempting target for United, who need to strengthen their options in the centre of defence.
Raphael Varane will leave on a free transfer at the end of this month, while Jonny Evans’ future remains up in the air as well.
What do United fans need to know about Inacio?
The centre-half is left-footed so it’s likely that he is being considered as cover for Lisandro Martinez. The Argentinian international has struggled with a series of injuries during his second year at Old Trafford.
Inacio can also play on the left-hand side of defence, making him a useful option to have if Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia continue to encounter fitness problems.
The defender has started to play regularly for his country too, having featured in five of Portugal’s last eight international matches.
A right-sided centre-back may be prioritised instead
Despite Record‘s claim that United are lining up a bid for Inacio, it is believed that Erik ten Hag’s side are currently focused on recruiting a right-footed player who can directly replace Varane.
The Red Devils have kept close tabs on Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo, while Benfica‘s Antonio Silva and Juventus’s Gleison Bremer are also on the club’s radar
That doesn’t rule out the club going after a player like Inacio, though. It should be pointed out that Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has been heavily linked with United in recent months and, like the Sporting Lisbon star, he is left-footed.
