Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly keen on signing Nuno Mendes, who will only be allowed to leave if his €70 million exit clause is triggered.
According to a report by Portuguese outlet A Bola, Nuno Mendes is a highly sought-after defender ahead of the summer transfer window. Manchester United and Liverpool are among the clubs that are hot on his trails, but Sporting Lisbon are adamant that the 18-year-old will leave if his €70 million release clause is triggered.
Nuno Mendes broke into the Sporting Lisbon first-team setup at the tail end of last season and has since gone on to establish himself as the Portuguese giants’ first-choice left-back. A player who has been highly rated ever since his youth footballing days, the teenage prodigy has turned out 33 times for the Leoes.
That the 18-year-old has continued his progress in tremendous fashion over the past year or so has only piqued the interest further among the marquee names of European football. In particular, there is a lot of interest stemming from the Premier League, with Manchester United and Liverpool reportedly keen on signing Mendes.
The interest from Manchester United comes as a bit of a surprise, considering the resounding success of Luke Shaw this season. With Alex Telles being a reliable backup option and Brandon Williams waiting in the wings to be given a chance, there really does not appear to be any room for another left-back in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.
Instead, it would be prudent to invest the money on a centre-back, especially considering Mendes has a €70 million release clause. Liverpool, on the other hand, could do with someone with the qualities of Mendes, as they enter a transitional period that will see Jurgen Klopp make some sweeping changes to his squad.
Is Kalidou Koulibaly a viable target for Manchester United and Liverpool? | THT Opinions
With last summer’s signing Kostas Tsimikas also being linked with a possible summer exit, a spot on the left side of the Liverpool defence could open up. To that end, Mendes is a viable target for the soon-to-be deposed Premier League champions, who would have some top notch competition for the left-back berth.
However, Liverpool will have to pay the big bucks to secure the services of Mendes, with Sporting Lisbon adamant that he will only be sold if his €70 million exit clause is triggered. Meanwhile, apart from the Reds and Manchester United, the likes of AC Milan and Juventus are also a part of the race to sign the Portuguese wonderkid.
For now, it looks like the chase for Nuno Mendes is intensifying, with a number of top European clubs vying for his signature. It now remains to be seen if he makes his way to the Premier League by joining Manchester United or Liverpool, or if some other suitor swoops him away instead.
