Ten Hag fuming, as Romano confirms Liverpool interest in key Man Utd target with £52m clause
Manchester United and Liverpool target Goncalo Inacio of Sporting Lisbon
Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on the future of Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio, who is a key target for Manchester United and Liverpool.
The 22-year-old is widely considered to be one of the best young defenders in Europe and has been linked with a move to several top clubs recently.
As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Man Utd, Liverpool, Newcastle and Real Madrid are all considering making a move for Inacio when the transfer window re-opens in January.
He broke into the Sporting first-team in 2020 and has gradually become one of their most important players. He has made 132 appearances in all competitions so far, scoring 11 goals in the process.
Inacio has plenty of experience at the highest level, with 21 appearances in the Champions League and Europa League to date. He has also earned himself three caps for the Portugal national team so far, so there is certainly no doubting his quality.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see top clubs queuing up to sign him this winter.
Romano: Man Utd, Liverpool both interested in Inacio
According to Romano, Inacio is on Man Utd’s ‘potential list of targets,’ while Liverpool are also a team to watch in the battle for his signature.
“Goncalo Inacio continues to impress as one of the top young defenders in Europe,” Romano said on his Daily Briefing.
“He is showing huge potential with Sporting Lisbon and recently working his way onto Manchester United’s potential list of targets.
“But there is also Liverpool – the Reds have always been in the stands to scout and follow Inacio, but at the same time they never sent official bids or started negotiations.
“There’s nothing new so far, as he signed a new deal at Sporting in August as there was nothing concrete happening with UK clubs. Still, I think he’d be an amazing option for any club, Liverpool or United in particular; left-footed players at that level are very rare to find.”
It’s no secret that Erik ten Hag is keen to add another quality centre-back to his Man Utd squad. Victor Lindelof is expected to leave at the end of the season, while Harry Maguire has also been heavily linked with a departure for some time.
As for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp is thought to be keen on bringing in competition for Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, whose performances have been somewhat underwhelming this season.
With that in mind, we could see both of the Premier League rivals make an offer for Inacio in January. He has a £52m release clause in his Sporting contract, so it will be interesting to see if either club are willing to match that fee.
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