Portuguese giants Sporting CP are preparing themselves to lose Goncalo Inacio, a target for Liverpool and Manchester United, next year.
According to a report by Football Insider, Liverpool and Manchester United remain interested in Goncalo Inacio. The Sporting CP defender has a release clause worth £52 million in his contract. And the Portuguese giants are resigned to losing the 22-year-old centre-back in the near future.
Goncalo Inacio has established himself as one of the best young defenders in the world in the last few years. The Portuguese international began his youth career at Almada AC but has been with Sporting CP for over a decade. And after rising through the ranks, he made his first-team debut as a 19-year-old in October 2020.
Since then, Inacio has come leaps and bounds establishing himself as a pivotal figure for Sporting CP. The 22-year-old has also broken into his national team while turning out 131 times thus far for his club. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, with Liverpool and Manchester United interested in him.
The young centre-back has been on Liverpool’s radar for a long time. The Merseyside club also considered securing Inacio’s services in the summer transfer window before a move failed to materialise. But the Reds remain interested in the player as they scour the market for a centre-back.
Jurgen Klopp has five centre-backs in his squad, with Jarell Quansah being impressive since breaking into the first-team squad. But Joel Matip is on the wrong side of 30 and approaching the final phase of his career, while Joe Gomez is not dependable. So, Inacio is a viable target. But Liverpool will face stiff competition from Manchester United in the race to sign the 22-year-old.
Lisandro Martinez’s performances thus far this season have been sub-par. In addition, Harry Maguire faces an uncertain future at Old Trafford, while Victor Lindelof has not been a consistent performer. So, Manchester United should invest in a centre-back in 2024, with Inacio emerging as a target. Meanwhile, the player has a release clause of £52 million in his contract.
Liverpool and Manchester United should manage to pay £52 million to secure Inacio’s services. But it will be interesting to see if the two Premier League clubs try to negotiate the transfer fee to a lower sum when they open talks to sign the Portuguese international.