Manchester United can reportedly sign Goncalo Ramos for £70 million in the summer as Benfica could drop their asking price.
According to Football Insider, Manchester United could sign Goncalo Ramos for £70 million. Benfica could drop their asking price for the Portuguese international striker, with the 25-goal striker seen as an alternative to Harry Kane.
Manchester United will focus on bringing in a marquee striker in the summer. Erik ten Hag decided against splashing money in January to buy a new frontman and instead opted to acquire Wout Weghorst on a six-month loan deal from Burnley.
Neither Weghorst nor Anthony Martial seem to have any future beyond the current season, with both forwards set for a departure in the summer. Manchester United want a permanent option, that will help Ten Hag improve the quality of the attack and make them challengers on multiple fronts.
Manchester United’s season has seen a visible drop-off without the presence of a recognised frontman. Several high-profile names like Victor Osimhen have been mentioned, but Harry Kane appears as Ten Hag’s preferred option to lead the line.
Kane could cost in the region of £100 million in the summer despite entering the final year of his deal with Tottenham. Manchester United would like the England captain but know the complications of negotiating with Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy.
They do not want to lose out on time and other targets in pursuit of Kane, which could derail their entire window. Goncalo Ramos remains an option for Ten Hag, who could become a Kane alternative for Manchester United. The 25-goal striker has performed admirably for Benfica, who stood firm to keep hold of him in January.
The Portuguese side were adamant for clubs to pay his £105 million release clause in January. Like how they negotiated a deal for Enzo Fernandez with Chelsea, forcing the London giants to pay the entire release clause to sign the Argentine.
Their stance might change in the summer window, as they could reportedly accept an offer for a lesser price. The report suggests Benfica could open the doors for a sale for about £70 million. The price range seems considerably less than his release clause of about £105 million.
The news might please those in charge of Manchester United, but they might still look to sign Kane on a priority basis. 25-goal Ramos has already shown his worth with some clinical performances for Benfica, while also providing 10 assists in 37 games.
Manchester United will not want to waste time finalising a new striker. Ten Hag would like the forward to come in early and begin pre-season with their new No.9. Ramos seems like a good option, but he will need a considerable period to adapt, something Kane won’t require.
