Man United rivals plan to hijack target Ruben Amorim has hand-picked, they've already 'prepared' a £60m offer
Manchester United have been linked with some of Ruben Amorim’s former players.
Ruben Amorim’s start to his Manchester United chapter has not been an easy one so far. After settling for a 1-1 draw against relegation candidates Ipswich Town, the Red Devils had to pull a comeback out of the bag against Bodø/Glimt in the Europa League.
Despite it looking as though Alejandro Garnacho had set the tone with a goal inside the first minute, the Norwegian champions were not heading home without a fight. They scored twice in quick succession before the half an hour mark, but Rasmus Højlund snagged one back to send his side into the break all square.
A second goal from the Denmark international after half-time cemented Amorim’s first win at Old Trafford and alleviated some of the pressure on himself. Højlund has been in the headlines lately along with Marcus Rashford, named as two players the manager could potentially opt to part ways with.
While the media has suggested the duo could be on the chopping block next year, Amorim reportedly does not want to see either leave the club. Rashford and Højlund have just three goals between them in the Premier League so far this season, and despite wanting to hold onto both forwards, Amorim has also been exploring extra attacking options.
Despite some contrasting reports, CaughtOffside has reported the former Sporting CP boss ‘does want a reunion’ with a ‘handful’ of his old players. One of the names on the 39-year-old’s radar is winger Geovany Quenda but United aren’t alone in their interest.
At just 17, Quenda has emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young stars and United have reportedly ‘already prepared a £60 million offer plus bonuses’ in attempt to bring him in from Lisbon. The Portuguese starlet is a right-winger by trade but has mainly been deployed as a wing-back this season.
After turning heads with his performances for Sporting, Quenda has been earmarked by a number of clubs, including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and other European powerhouses. The report claims that any of the clubs showing interest could ‘show their hand shortly’ but it’s Chelsea who have emerged as United’s biggest competitors.
The Blues, who are enjoying a strong start to their Premier League season, are ‘looking to muscle in’ on a potential deal for Quenda. There is ‘concrete interest’ being shown from the Stamford Bridge camp as the 17-year-old fits Chelsea’s model to develop young talent.
Quenda is no cheap option, though. The versatile winger reportedly has a €100 million (£83m) release clause in place and recently penned a new three-year deal with Sporting. Despite United’s prepared offer, there is no pressure for the Portuguese giants to sell for a lower amount, unless Quenda shows willingness to leave, and particularly to rejoin Amorim.