Manchester United and Bayern Munich are leading the race to land highly-rated Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos.
According to A Bola, European giants Manchester United and Bayern Munich are both leading the race for the signature of Portuguese striker Goncalo Ramos.
The 21-year-old has been sensational for the Eagles this season, scoring eight times and assisting six more in 12 games across all competitions. He made his first team bow in 2020 and has now been afforded the chance to impress consistently in the first XI.
The departure of Darwin Nunez to Liverpool last summer saw Ramos handed the starting role at the Estadio da Luz. The 21-year-old has so far not just repaid the club’s faith in him, but also attracted attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Bayern and Man United both have star-studded sides but lack a reliable goalscorer. The former parted ways with ace goalscorer Robert Lewandowski, and while Sadio Mane has impressed, he is nowhere near matching Lewandowski’s output in terms of goalscoring. This lack of clinical edge has seen Die Roten draw their last four Bundesliga games, something unthinkable given their standing in the Bundesliga.
The same can be said for Man United, who lack a reliable goalscorer of their own. Anthony Martial continues to struggle with injuries while Cristiano Ronaldo has been relegated to a glorified role off the bench. While Erik ten Hag’s side have done well so far, they will need to bring in a striker who can lead the line and act as a consistent source for goals.
An out-and-out striker who can also drop deeper to play the number 10 role, Ramos fits both Julian Nagelsmann and Erik ten Hag’s attacking style of football. However, at 21, he is better off polishing his game at Benfica than rushing into a transfer. Should he keep up his current form, Ramos will not be short of suitors in the years to come.
Benfica, for their part, are keen to keep the player and look set to offer him improved terms. They are seeking to provide him with a raise while also attaching a €120m buyout clause. The Portuguese giants are shrewd negotiators, and Ramos potentially signing the extension will only give them more leeway during negotiations.