Home Football Manchester United on the verge of securing deal for the promising talent hailed as 'the next Vinicius Jr': report

Manchester United on the verge of securing deal for the promising talent hailed as 'the next Vinicius Jr': report

Manchester United are preparing for a major squad shake-up this summer, as new manager Rub...

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 16:11 PM

Manchester United are preparing for a major squad shake-up this summer, as new manager Ruben Amorim grapples with challenges in the early stages of his tenure.

The Portuguese manager has won just four of his opening 13 Premier League games, suffering bruising defeats at home to Crystal Palace and Bournemouth and Brighton in recent weeks with the Red Devils languishing in 13th ahead of a visit to Tottenham on Sunday.

Fans and pundits alike were under no illusions that a switch to Amorim's now synonymous three-back formation would take plenty of patience, although it now appears such patience is wearing thin amongst the United hierarchy.

Manchester United closing in on exciting youngster

Amorim and his system looks set to be backed in the transfer market, with January's addition of Danish wing-back Patrick Dorgu a clear indication that there is belief in the Portuguese manager, ranked at no.11 in FourFourTwo's list of the best managers in the world right now, to turn things around over time.

It appears drastic measures are being taken to free up funds for a summer splurge, including recent reports that as many as 250 members of staff could soon be axed by the INEOS leadership team as the tight constraints of PSR rules and years of financial mismanagement place the Red Devils in an unfamiliar chokehold with the transfer window on the horizon.

Despite this, Amorim looks set to add a major cog to his dilapidated machine this summer with the pursuit of Sporting CP youngster Geovany Quenda, with Portuguese outlet Zero Zero claiming that it is highly unlikely the reigning Portuguese champions will retain the wide man beyond the summer.

These reports corroborate those from The Athletic, which suggested the Red Devils had their eye on a move for the youngster, ranked at no.39 in FourFourTwo's list of the most exciting teenagers to watch this season, this summer, expected to cost around €50 million.

Get FourFourTwo NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Amorim is no stranger to the in-demand youngster having handed him his senior debut in Sporting, transforming him from a skilful winger to a dynamic wing-back capable of offering impactful contributions at both ends of the pitch.

Quenda's high level of technical ability have drawn comparisons to Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr by some in Portugal, with the highly-touted 17-year-old expected to rapidly ascend to the top of European football in the coming years.

Despite his age, Quenda already has Champions League experience, having established himself as a regular in a Sporting side which has already achieved win over Manchester City this season prior to Amorim's departure. FourFourTwo, meanwhile, understands that Quenda is the most likely of Sporting's stars to follow Amorim to Old Trafford.

Quenda is worth €30m, as per Transfermarkt. Manchester United take on Tottenham this weekend as Premier League action returns.

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