Manchester United have fallen £13m short of Sporting Lisbon’s asking price for midfielder Bruno Fernandes, according to reports in Portugal.
The Red Devils are said to be prepared to pay only £42m with bonuses rising above the £60m mark. However, Sporting feel that the add-ons are not realistic and want at least £55m upfront before agreeing to the transfer.
United supporters on Twitter are calling for the club to pay up and seal the deal for Fernandes:
Why can't we just pay and get it over with?
— United Central (@utd_central) 17 January 2020
This club paid 80m for Maguire, just stop messing about.
— Dyl (@UtdDyl) 17 January 2020
oh my JUST PAY UP @MANUTD FFS
— Zach™ (@mufczach) 17 January 2020
Just get it done
— Matthew (@Matthew39928966) 17 January 2020
Jfc just pay it ffs
— Josh Leigh? (@JoshLeigh9) 17 January 2020
Get it done
Am dying for it to happen pic.twitter.com/ySC3YINiP3— Zack Muller (@zackmulla7) 17 January 2020
This deal will fall through 100%
— Gary Snook ?⚪⚫ (@garysnook) 17 January 2020
The deal will eventually go through just like AWB, Maguire. Mufc like to bargain first but later they do pay it. On top of that we are very very close to this deal just like we were in the summer with the two i mentioned above
— Brozen™ (@TheAestheticRed) 17 January 2020
The issue is sporting are trying to rinse us for cash. United are trying to stand their ground. I can understand that, however we desperately need him. So we will have to compromise…
— MR J (-_•) ? (@MrJ7190) 17 January 2020
Just pay the money @manutd
— Jelz (@Jelz22) 17 January 2020
Why haggling on this….. When we bought maguire for 80m….? Our board though
— Paragon of Graphic Artists (@addict2_Red) 17 January 2020
United have overpaid for players before and there is likely to be some hesitancy about paying over the odds for a player who has not excelled outside of Portugal.
There is still a good amount of time before the transfer window closes at the end of the month and fans may just have to be patient as the two sides look for a compromise in terms of the transfer fee and the bonuses for Fernandes.