MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly targeting Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro Goncalves as a half-price alternative to signing Jadon Sancho.
Sporting signed Wolves flop Goncalves in August to fill the void left by Bruno Fernandes’ departure to Old Trafford in January 2020.
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And the 22-year-old has bagged 15 goals in just 21 appearances to fire Sporting to the verge of their first league crown for 19 years.
The Telegraph reports United are looking at Goncalves as a cheaper right-sided forward than last year’s No1 target Sancho.
Goncalves’ super form has alerted a number of European giants to his availability for £51.7million, thanks to a buyout clause.
Although he has predominantly played in a central position this season, Goncalves is equally adept on the right wing.
The latest reports from Germany suggest Borussia Dortmund would be willing to sell Sancho, 20, for around £104m this summer.
Triggering Goncalves’ release clause would therefore be more than 50 per cent less expensive than the cost of a successful bid for Three Lions ace Sancho.
And the Portuguese star has netted NINE more goals than Sancho has managed in the same number of games in the Bundesliga this term.
Fernandes could help swing a deal as although he left Sporting before Goncalves arrived, the pair are both represented by Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes.
He could also be pivotal in negotiations with Leeds’ Raphina, another winger on United’s shortlist, as the two were team-mates at the Estadio Jose Alvalade before Marcelo Bielsa’s man joined Rennes in 2019.
The Express claims the duo are still in virtually daily contact after hitting it off in the Portuguese capital.
Goncalves’ form has been so prolific that Sporting are doing better than when they had United’s Fernandes on the books.
Goncalves made one Carabao Cup appearance under Nuno Espirito Santo but left the large Portuguese contingent at Molineux for Famalicao in 2019.
The struggling top-flight club sold him on to Sporting for £5.85m last summer and the league leaders are set to receive a huge windfall if he moves on again.
Liverpool are also thought to be interested and last month reports suggested they were prepared to activate Goncalves’ release clause after tracking the player.
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