Manchester United preparing £50m transfer offer for winger loved by Ruben Amorim

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Manchester United have stepped up their pursuit of Sporting wonderkid Geovany Quenda and a £50million bid for the teenage sensation is in the works.

Quenda, 17, broke into Sporting’s senior squad in pre-season, having joined the club aged just 13, and the youngster has gone on to make 18 appearances in all competitions this term.

Ruben Amorim predicted a ‘spectacular future’ for Quenda before leaving Sporting for Old Trafford and the winger will no doubt have been disappointed to see the back of the manager who gave him his opportunity in the first-team.

However, speculation is mounting that Quenda could be set to follow in Amorim’s footsteps to the Theatre of Dreams at the end of the season.

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, United’s interest in Quenda has grown significantly following initial talks with Sporting and the Red Devils are preparing a bid that could ‘unlock a new phase of discussions’.

It’s claimed the offer in question is likely to be in the region of €60m (£50m), plus bonuses based on individual and team performance.

The report adds that Quenda is now firmly in United’s sights and the figures being discussed simply ‘cannot be ignored’ by Sporting’s hierarchy, who are open to further negotiations.

Quenda put pen to paper on a contract extension with Sporting in September, tying him to the club until 2027.

This saw the release clause in Quenda’s deal increase from €45m (£38m) to €100m (£84m), a sum only matched by star striker Viktor Gyokeres at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Sporting could part with the young wing-back turned winger earlier than next summer, but only if a potential suitor agrees to pay his release clause in full, as is the case with Gyokeres.

United have also been heavily linked with Gyokeres and Amorim’s move from Lisbon to Manchester has only fueled rumours that the free-scoring Sweden forward could follow suit.

Asked whether he could turn his old club to strengthen his new squad last week, Amorim told reporters: 'I won't be signing [Sporting players] in January, that's what I said.

'I don't know about the summer. The main thing is to hold on until the summer [laughs].

'After that, we'll see, Sporting's players are very good players. I don't know. we'll see.'

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