Man Utd ‘reserve’ first summer signing with transfer ‘expected’ and huge price tag revealed

Sporting CP starlet Geovany Quenda is ‘expected’ to join Manchester United this summer, with the Premier League side learning his price tag and despite a warning arriving from Sir Jim Ratcliffe over their summer spending.

Ever since Ruben Amorim swapped Sporting for Man Utd last November, speculation has mounted that some of his old charges will join him at Old Trafford. Striker Viktor Gyokeres has been linked with the Red Devils but it seems 17-year-old Quenda is more likely to head that way at present.

The teenager has predominantly played as a right winger for the Portuguese giants this season but has also been utilised on the left and as an attacking midfielder.

And that versatility, among other things, has caught United’s attention, with A Bola claiming it is ‘inevitable’ Quenda will leave Sporting at the end of the campaign.

The report adds it is expected he will move to the Manchester outfit, his price tag is around €60 million (£50.5m, $65.5m) and United have ‘reserved’ the youngster.

Sporting CP are reportedly aiming for record sales of around €150-200m (£126-168m) this summer, with the majority of that coming from the transfers of Quenda and Gyokeres.

Whether Amorim is able to reunite with his former player remains to be seen, especially with minority United owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, openly talking about the club’s financial struggles.

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Financial troubles at Man Utd?

In a series of interviews this week, Ratcliffe said the club would have gone “bust at Christmas” had they not cut back on costs. This has included making 450 people redundant and ending free lunches for staff after losing £410m over the past seven years.

“In super-simple terms the club has been spending more money than it has been earning for the last seven years, including this year,” said Ratcliffe. “If you do that for a prolonged period of time it ends up in a very difficult place, and, for Manchester United, that place ended at the end of this year.

“At the end of 2025, Manchester United would have run out of cash. There would be no cash at the end of this year. That is the first time we have ever said that in public, but that is the fact of the matter.”

He added: “At INEOS we run a lean organisation. As my mother said, you look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves. We can sound flippant about free lunches but if you give all these perks, first class train fares, free taxis, it’s not coherent. It goes bust at Christmas.

“We’ve made some really tough decisions and now we’re seeing staff understanding what we’re trying to do. There’s a clear vision of what we’re trying to achieve.”

And with United reportedly having to walk a fine line when it comes to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, sales may have to happen first before signings such as Quenda are made.

Man Utd transfer roundup: Wharton targeted, Dalot exit?

TEAMtalk has revealed that United are looking at Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton as a potential replacement for two midfielders in the coming months.

Danish international Christian Eriksen is out of contract at United at the end of the season and the Red Devils are trying to shift on Casemiro, too.

Our sources also can confirm that Bayern Munich have joined Real Madrid in showing interest in making a summer transfer window move for United defender Diogo Dalot.

The Portuguese has been one of the Red Devils’ better players in recent seasons and that form is attracting interest across Europe.

Finally, United have reportedly ‘proposed’ a cash-plus-player swap deal that would see Rasmus Hojlund and Victor Osimhen trade places.

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 switching to 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 three appearances for Portugal’s Under-21s and registered an assist in a 2-1 win over Andorra.