Ruben Amorim in his current predicament at Manchester United is likely not thinking about incoming signings when the team is 15th in the league but the work keeps going behind the scenes.
The Man Utd manager is getting a tune out of the squad that is not his and that has only served to ramp up the excitement about what he can do eventually at Old Trafford.
His focus might be on getting the best out of the current Man Utd squad, and he has done so really well to this point but some clear upgrades are needed.
Amidst all the transfer rumours and noise, Man Utd have been told that they can sign a player who is the best in the world at his position.
It would be a huge statement of intent.
Strong Nuno Mendes claim made amid Man Utd transfer interest
The left wing-back is the gaping hole in the current squad and that is not lost on anyone, hence the links to the likes of Milos Kerkez, Theo Hernandez, Alphonso Davies, Nuno Mendes, and more.
More recently, Antonee Robinson’s case for being a Man Utd target was also strengthened but in all those names, there’s a clear standout.
Mendes broke through at Sporting Lisbon under the coaching of Ruben Amorim and his contract situation plus his age means he represents a unique opportunity in the market.
Romano recently reported Mendes’ signing in January might be too complicated and the club, cognisant of this fact, have tried a unique arrangement to seal Mendes’ transfer.
Dharmesh Sheth and Sam Tighe recently appeared on Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk podcast and laid out the current situation with Mendes and United.
Sheth said: “He’s [Nuno Mendes] has only got 18 months left on his contract. Talks so far between PSG and his representatives have failed to find a resolution.
“PSG don’t want to get to a situation in the summer where he’ll be six months away from sealing a pre-contract agreement with another club.
“The ideal scenario is they want to sort out a new contract with him but if that’s not going to happen, they’re going to try and do a deal as quickly as possible.”
Tighe waxed lyrical about Mendes’ quality, saying if United manage to get him, it would be “one of the biggest coups of all time”.
Tighe said: “This would be one of the biggest coups of all time. There is a genuine case that he is the best left-back in the world. He’s absolutely top-five, almost certainly top-three.
“If Man Utd can sign him, what a mood changer!”
Mendes is worth the wait if a deal is possible
United need a left wing-back urgently but if a deal for a player like Nuno Mendes is possible, then he is absolutely worth the wait of an extra six months.
Not only does that increase pressure on PSG to do a deal on terms that might suit United more, even the club is not financially in a good place in January to seal a deal for him.
Mendes became United’s priority target for January but a marquee deal of that magnitude was always going to be difficult to do mid-season.
The Amorim factor is a big one here and if Mendes gives him the inkling that he fancies a move to United, then the club should put all their eggs in that basket for the summer.
Diogo Dalot is doing a serviceable job in that position and United’s season, especially in the league, already looks like a write-off.
No need to put a band-aid on a position that can be permanently fixed with a massive upgrade in six months.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
