Man Utd transfer news: Red Devils sending scouts to watch much-touted Brazilian Joao Gomes

Manchester United have reportedly stepped up their interest in Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes are ready to send scouts to watch the Flamengo star in action.

United’s interest in the 21-year-old was first revealed a couple of months. However, it now appears they have ramped up their efforts to potentially sign him by taking the decision to send representatives of the club to Brazil to watch Gomes first hand.

Journalist Julio Miguel Neto told the Rubro News channel that ’emissaries will watch Gomes in action for Flamengo’.

The report adds that two officials are expected in Rio in the coming weeks to watch the midfielder in person.

There is no mention of a potential fee for the player at this stage. However, it’s understood that Flamengo are open to player sales, as long as the price is right.

Gomes is a traditional defensive midfielder player who has been capped at Brazil Under-20 level.

He has scored once in 26 appearances in all competitions this season. And, according to transfermarkt he is valued at around £7.6million.

New United boss Erik ten Hag is already expected to have begun his search for new players, especially with a number likely to leave.

The likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial, Nemanja Matic, Alex Telles, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones could all be on the move in a major shake-up at Old Trafford.

And while Gomes is unlikely to be seen as first-teamer straight away, the hope is that he can become a quality player for the future.

Man Utd need proven players not projects

Given the likelihood of a big squad upheaval this summer, the last thing United want to be doing is signing ‘projects’.

They need quality performers that Ten Hag can work with straight away. That’s the only way they will have any hope of cracking the top four again, before eventually moving onto bigger things.

The Red Devils have signed a number of promising youngsters over the past couple of seasons. However, they have mostly been shipped out on loan and hardly had an impact on United’s first team.

Ten Hag is likely to have work cut out if, as expected, there is a high turnover of players. So with that in mind, it makes zero sense to make him have one eye on promising lads coming through when he needs his sole focus to be on the first-team squad.

READ MORE: Scholes in disbelief as he points out hurdle facing Ten Hag at Man Utd rarely considered