Amorim gets green light to make Man Utd’s first MAJOR summer signing with ‘clear’ transfer message

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has been given the all clear to complete the Red Devils’ first major signing of the summer, with the Portuguese set to raid former club Sporting CP.

Amorim, who moved to the Red Devils in November from the Lisbon outfit, has been linked with several of his former proteges at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Geovany Quenda disappointed the coach by electing to sign for Chelsea in the summer of 2026, while a deal for prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres looks complicated, but Man Utd have received the green light to move for Goncalo Inacio, according to A Bola.

“It’s become clear that one or both of Goncalo Inacio and/or Ousmane Diomande will be transferred,” the Portuguese source reports.

Inacio, a 23-year-old centre-back, was on the shortlist of Borussia Dortmund during January but ultimately stayed at Sporting. No deal was done for the Portugal international centre-back, who is part of the leadership group established by Amorim in Lisbon.

A deal worth around €45 million is likely for the centre-back, who has a €60m release clause and an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €46.1m.

Man Utd are likely to face competition from other Premier League clubs, yet Amorim could have a telling influence on the future of a player similar in style to Matthijs de Ligt.

Diego Leon has already been secured from Cerro Porteno, but a deal for Inacio could be the first major arrival at Old Trafford.

Trincao to Man Utd blocked by Sporting

While one door at Sporting has opened for Amorim, another appears to have closed with the news from Correio da Manha that the Lisbon club will not sell Francisco Trincao this summer.

The winger was linked with Man Utd earlier this week in a deal worth in the region of €40 million.

Sporting have decided to put the brakes on any deal because they only own 50% of the player’s rights, with Barcelona retaining the other half.

The Portuguese side does not want to sell the 25-year-old for a price that would only give them a capital gain in the region of €20m. They believe this can rise over the course of the 2025/26 season.

But if the Trincao deal is off the table for now, Inacio to Man Utd is one to watch.