- Manchester United tracking Lyon winger
- 21 year-old played under Ruben Amorim at Sporting
- Breakthrough season has led to European interest
Manchester United will be looking to add depth to the winger positions if there are sufficient funds to do so this summer.
In particular, the left flank has been the subject of talk in recent months. Aside from Matheus Cunha, the Reds do not have any natural left wingers in the side. Marcus Rashford is expected to depart Old Trafford this summer, whether it is for FC Barcelona or elsewhere.
Patrick Dorgu has briefly played there and impressed before his injury. However, the Dane will only get a limited spell before the end of the season to impress interim boss Michael Carrick further.
United could consider recruiting in attack for a second successive season, but will not splash out the millions it spent last summer when Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo arrived in Manchester.
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United Target Former Amorim Player
According to A Bola, Manchester United are “one of the clubs that have shown interest” in Lyon winger Afonso Moreira.
The Portuguese newspaper specifically points towards the impending departures of Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Joshua Zirkzee as a reason to reinforce at left wing. However, United face competition as clubs in Serie A and the Bundesliga are also interested in the winger.
Moreira joined the Ligue 1 outfit last summer from Sporting CP. It was former United head coach Ruben Amorim who gave the player his professional debut in 2023.
The Portuguese player came through Sporting’s academy. He was shortly sent out on loan to Gil Vicente by Amorim, but not before signing a new contract with his former club in 2024. Last summer, Moreira joined Lyon for a fee of £1.5m and has impressed under manager Paulo Fonseca.
In 35 games this season, he has collected 11 assists and scored 8 goals in his breakthrough season. Lyon are aware that this is only the start of his rise, and could very well hold out before selling him on for a higher value. Sporting secured a 20% sell-on fee, so the French side will want to maximise any profits received.
Could United Opt for Non-Premier League Wingers?
Latest reports suggest that INEOS have a preference for acquiring Premier League players who require little integration time. Therefore, the links to Moreira come as a surprise. Not only is the 21-year-old an overseas player, but he has yet to completely prove himself at the elite level.
A Bola mention a “market value of 10 million euros” for the player, which is a low-risk signing that would add quality to depth at Old Trafford for a low price.
Under Amorim, Moreira played as a wingback in his 3-4-2-1 setup. Therefore, he does seem to have a similar profile to Dorgu among the existing squad members. Signing the 21-year-old could solve two problems in one, as Luke Shaw’s explosiveness has reduced with age. Whilst largely inexperienced, Moreira could be a versatile signing even though Amorim is no longer in charge.
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