Amorim orders Man Utd to complete €40m signing after ‘verbal agreement’ claims

A senior reporter has confirmed Ruben Amorim has tasked Man Utd with signing a new wing-back they rate at €40m, though there are differing opinions on whether a verbal agreement with the player is already in place.

For Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United to be a success, the Portuguese must be provided with a squad of players more suited to his system and tactical demands. Amorim wasted no time in implementing his customary 3-4-2-1 formation, though at present he lacks the necessary personnel in several key positions.

A new signing at centre-forward is a must amid the continued struggles of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. Elsewhere, Amorim needs another starting wing-back to follow Patrick Dorgu into Old Trafford.

A player Amorim knows well is Sporting CP’s Geovany Quenda. The 17-year-old can play up and down either flank, though was primarily deployed at right wing-back during Amorim’s final months in Lisbon.

Trusted reporters David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano have both confirmed Man Utd are exploring a move for Quenda.

And per the latest from the Daily Star’s chief sports writer, Jeremy Cross, Amorim has instructed his club to strike a deal.

The report read: ‘Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has urged his club bosses to stump up the cash to sign teenage sensation Geovany Quenda.

‘Amorim wants to raid former club Sporting Lisbon to sign Quenda in a £35m (roughly €40m) deal. Amorim is a huge fan of Quenda’s, having overseen his progress into the Sporting first team during his time in charge.

‘And he is keen to lure the winger to Old Trafford this summer – provided United bosses are willing to fund the deal.

‘Amorim has held talks with senior figures at United about who he wants to bring in in the next window. And he has made it clear to them that Quenda has to be one of United’s leading targets.’

Man Utd strike verbal agreement with Geovany Quenda?

According to reporter Ben Jacobs, Man Utd have already verbally agreed personal terms with the talented teenager.

Speaking on talkSPORT last week, Jacobs said: “The player has agreed verbally personal terms. He’s waiting to see if the clubs pre-agree [a transfer] or wait until the summer.

“The price Manchester United are looking at is €40m. Sporting want a minimum of €60m. There’s a release clause at €100m.

“If Man Utd can get this done for south of €60m it’s not only a good signing for the now and the future, and not only a player that Ruben Amorim knows really well, but also potentially another deal they can get without being forced, as they did for example with Rasmus Hojlund, to pay more than they ideally want to do.”

However, transfer insider Rudy Galetti has subsequently told TEAMtalk no such agreement is in place.

Galetti wrote: “There are NO agreements – neither verbal nor of any other kind – between United and the Portuguese player or between them and his current club, Sporting CP.

“United, to date, have shown concrete interest but have not made any offer or proposal. Of course, Ruben Amorim appreciates him a lot, having managed him at Sporting, but there are no agreements in place between the parties.”

In any case, what is clear is Man Utd and Amorim in particular are desperate to bring Quenda on board and if signed, the expectation is he’ll operate at right wing-back, with Dorgu filling the left wing-back berth.

Latest Man Utd news – Victor Osimhen…

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Man Utd’s chances of signing Victor Osimhen when clarifying four aspects of the potential deal.

Regarding cost, Osimhen’s release clause – currently set at €120m – will reduce in price to around €75m-€80m if no club activates the clause in June. As such, don’t expect to see Osimhen on the move until July 1 at the earliest.

Osimhen’s salary demands could prove an issue for the Red Devils, with the frontman currently netting around £200,000-a-week after tax at parent club Napoli.

Reports of United sending scouts to Turkey to observe Osimhen during his loan spell at Galatasaray have been debunked.

However, that’s simply because Man Utd have already compiled an extensive dossier on the striker and are well aware he’s a player worth signing. A good or bad performance here or there in the Turkish Super Lig won’t changed United’s mind in that regard.

Finally, Romano claimed Osimhen will ‘for sure’ leave Napoli upon returning from his loan. But whether his next destination is Old Trafford, only time will tell.

Elsewhere, Amorim is coming under increasing pressure to adjust his approach at United with the Portuguese’s insistence on playing his 3-4-2-1 formation proving vastly unpopular and leading to suggestions that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS could intervene or, more drastically, even call time on his reign.

IN FOCUS: Who is Geovany Quenda?

By Nathan Egerton

Born in Guinea-Bissau in April 2007, Quenda moved to Portugal as a child and joined Amadora-based club Damaiense at the age of eight.

He also spent two years in Benfica’s academy before joining their arch-rivals Sporting CP in 2021.

In February 2024, he started a Liga 3 game against Amora and became the youngest-ever player to play for Sporting’s reserve team at the age of 16.

The left-footer showcased his pace and his dribbling ability and caught the attention of first-team manager Ruben Amorim.

“He can play in several positions, he has a lot of quality and irreverence. He is another option,” Amorim said after naming him on the bench for a Europa League tie against Atalanta in March 2024.

Quenda has also shone on the international stage as his performances for Portugal at the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship earned him a place in the Team of the Tournament.

He marked his senior debut for Sporting with a goal against Porto in August 2024 and became the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history at the age of 17 years and 95 days, overtaking the likes of Ronaldo and Simao.

The teenager then became the youngest Portuguese player to start a Champions League match during Sporting’s 2-0 win over Lille in September 2024.

He has also been called up to the senior Portugal squad and was an unused substitute in their 2-1 win over Scotland in the UEFA Nations League.

“The national team coaches always say that age is not a factor. (Quenda) showed incredible personality, quality and adaptability,” Roberto Martinez said.

“He’s a player who likes to make things difficult (for defenders). He has technical quality (that is) not normal for a 17-year-old. He’s now in Sporting’s first team and has shown incredible personality.”

Quenda has since made two appearances for Portugal’s Under-21s and registered an assist in a 2-1 win over Andorra.