3
The striker position was of the highest urgency for Manchester United coming into the transfer window and top target to fill it may have been finally decided in the form of Gonçalo Ramos.
Portuguese outlet A Bola reports that Ramos’ club SL Benfica are expecting a €60 million offer from “a club” imminently for their star man.
The People’s Person recently reported that Paris Saint-Germain are United’s biggest competitors in the race to sign the Portuguese hitman.
The Parisiens are looking for a striker to accommodate Kylian Mbappe in his preferred left-wing spot. They were also credited with an interest in Harry Kane for the same reason.
Meanwhile, United have been on the hunt for multiple targets, including Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta, Randal Kolo Muani of Eintracht Frankfurt, and Ramos.
The latter’s price tag was reportedly prohibitive in early discussions which is why the links to him died after initial talks.
However, the latest reports from Portugal suggest that United’s interest might be alive and well.
Recently, Benfica rejected a bid worth €50 million plus bonuses for the clinical striker although it is not yet clear who the bid was from.
Newcastle have emerged as the latest club to target him but the bid was before their interest developed, leading to speculation that it was from either PSG or United. The same may be true of the incoming improved bid.
Erik ten Hag appreciates Ramos’ qualities following his breakthrough season last year. He bagged 27 goals and notched 12 assists in just 47 appearances as he showed off his all-around game.
Aged just 22, he still has plenty of room to improve and at United, he will find a contingent of Portuguese players to help him settle quickly.
He would come in and instantly be the first-choice option, which could appeal to him. At PSG, the main threat will always be Mbappe, while Newcastle have Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson on the books.
This could be a rapidly developing story to keep an eye on as early negotiations with Atalanta for Hojlund have so far shown little sign of progressing.