According to A Bola (via SportWitness), Manchester United could activate the release clause in the contract of Sporting Lisbon centre-back Goncalo Inacio this month.
The Red Devils are in the market for a young central defender and they are already in talks to sign Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton. However, a deal is far from straightforward for Man United with the Merseyside outfit demanding £70 million for his transfer.
United have no intention to meet the demands of the Toffees. They could walk away from negotiations if the price tag does not reduce. Amidst this, A Bola claim that United are one of the clubs prepared to trigger Inacio’s £51 million release clause this month.
Quality defender
Inacio has been on the radar of Premier League clubs for some period of time. United have been linked with him and it appears they are now considering an approach. The Portuguese is a left-footed centre-back, but he is pretty versatile.
The 22-year-old has operated from the right and left side of the back three for Sporting. His main strength is his distribution. Inacio completed 89% of his passes last season with almost 5 recoveries and 2 clearances per league appearance.
United’s current focus remains on signing Branthwaite from the Toffees, but they could turn to Inacio if Sean Dyche’s side are reluctant to negotiate on the price. Inacio does not have Premier League experience, but would be a good acquisition.
He is much better with his distribution when compared to Branthwaite, who is more known for his defensive resolve. Inacio is just 1 year older than Branthwaite and would fit into the club’s new policy of signing emerging players with huge potential.
Sporting are looking to balance their financial books before the end of the month. United have the opportunity to sign Inacio for a lesser sum, considering there are no offers on the table for Ousmane Diomande, who they would rather prefer to sell.
