Manchester United have been linked with a move for Benfica forward Carlos Vinicius.
Portuguese newspaper Record linked United with a £35 million summer transfer.
This Vinicius is not to be confused with Real Madrid youngster Vinicius Jr.
So who is the potential United signing and does the move have a chance of happening?
Here are five facts about the player…
1) Carlos Vinicius is the Portuguese league’s top goalscorer this past season with 15 goals from 22 games. In all competitions his record is 20 goals in 36 games plus 12 assists, contributing nearly a goal per game.
2) Vinicius, 25, is thriving at Benfica after a summer move from Napoli. He never played a game in Italy, being sent out on loan instead to Rio Ave and Monaco.
3) The Mail report that Benfica have a whopping £88 million release clase in Vinicius’ contract (100 million Euros). United are said to be trying to negotiate a far cheaper deal.
4) While this is the best season of Vinicius’ career, he is no one season wonder. He has 56 career goals in 110 games, plus a further 22 assists.
5) Vinicius had a brief spell at Desportivo Brasil, United’s former feeder club, back in 2011.
What’s the verdict?
Vinicius is a client of ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes, and it has become a rite of passage for his players to be linked to Manchester United.
He is an interesting player as he has never been capped at any international level for Brazil, yet has a strong goalscoring record.
This past season he has averaged a goal every 86 minutes, a better rate than any of United’s strikers. You can dismiss the standard of the league, but Bruno Fernandes has made the transition look seamless.
At 25 he is a good age and his combination of pace and hold up play make him a player who would be a good fit for this United side.
However, Vinicius still remains somewhat of an unknown quantity, with this past season at Benfica his first really successful campaign at a top club.
United may prefer to see if he can replicate it next season, before investing a lot of money.
A move would be a real gamble, which could pay off, if United want a younger alternative to Odion Ighalo once his new deal expires in January 2021.
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