Real Madrid barged aside with Amorim pushing to land 'remarkable' £50.1m defender

Ruben Amorin is determined to reunite with Goncalo Inacio at Manchester United and will reportedly make the Sporting Lisbon star a priority target for the Red Devils ahead of two other defenders and with a battle to sign him with Real Madrid set to intensify.

A new era is underway at Old Trafford with Amorim departing the Primeira Liga champions for the chance to succeed Erik ten Hag in the hotseat – their sixth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure at the end of the 2012/2013 season. However, with Amorim determined to restore Manchester United to their former glories, the new manager is likely to quickly impose his own tactics on the club, with the 39-year-old strongly favouring a 3-4-3 formation.

Thankfully, the Red Devils are certainly well blessed with central defensive options and once up to speed and fitness, many supporters believe that Leny Yoro – already a player the new coach is set to be ‘wowed’ by – Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez look ideally suited to play in such a formation.

But beyond that, United seemingly lack quality cover and with Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans set to leave at the end of their contracts, question marks have also been raised over the future of Harry Maguire, with Amorim set to make a firm decision on the England defender over the coming weeks and months.

As a result, it will come as no surprise that United will likely make the capture of a new centre-half a top priority in 2025 and now it’s claimed that Inacio – who has a €60m (£50.1m, $63.2m) release clause in his deal – has leapt to the very top of the new manager’s wanted list.

Per Fichajes, the 23-year-old Portuguese centre-back has ‘caught the attention’ of Real Madrid and Manchester United, with two of the giants of European football both looking to strengthen their defence and having targeted ‘one of the most outstanding prospects on the continent’ in Inacio.

They claim the 12-times capped Portugal international has ‘remarkable ability in defence’, which is set to spark an ‘intense’ battle for his signature next summer.

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Amorim wants Inacio over two other defender targets at Man Utd

Labelling Inacio as the ‘most complete defender of his generation’, it’s claimed that Amorim is ‘looking for a centre-back who can provide stability’ with his signing becoming a ‘priority’ given the ‘competitiveness of the Premier League’.

Furthermore, with a new centre-half likely to be a top priority for United in 2025, it’s claimed the United boss will make Inacio his top target ahead of interest in his teammate, Ousmane Diomande and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s preferred option in Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.

Any deal, though, is likely to have to wait until the summer, with Amorim vowing to further deplete Sporting CP further by targeting their best players mid-season.

He left the reigning Portuguese champions with an incredible 11 wins from 11 league games this season and knows how his exit weakens them, instead honouring to do right by them – for now.

“I will NOT sign any Sporting player at Man United in January… then, what happens in the summer I don’t know,” Amorim told the Portuguese media last weekend after his farewell 4-2 win at Braga. “Sporting players are good players. We will see…”

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Meanwhile, Manchester United have been urged to move for Arda Guler, with the Turkey star struggling to find a place in Real Madrid’s star-studded line-up.

Advice on how to get a deal over the line at Old Trafford has arrived from the club’s former striker Louis Saha.

Elsewhere, United will face competition to sign Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka following a clear hint from a club chief.

Union Berlin sporting director Horst Heldt has suggested he will look to sign Goretzka amid his tough situation at Bayern.

There could also be a battle on the cards to keep Alejandro Garnacho, with Nicky Butt revealing his belief that the Argentina star is angling for a move to one of two European giants.

And finally, Amorim is reported to have identified Flamengo’s teenage star Lorran as a prospective first signing of his era at Old Trafford. The capture of the teenager though could spell bad news for a big-money star, though, he could be offered up in part exchange.

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