Manchester United transfer boost as Newcastle back off move for star with £52m release clause

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United are now unlikely to face competition from Newcastle for Goncalo Inacio with the Premier League outfit viewing the Sporting Lisbon defender as ‘too expensive’. 

With a £52 million release clause in his Sporting contract, you can see why any club would be keen on a deal for Portugal centre-back Goncalo Inacio. 

As Portuguese publication Radio Renascenca point out, Newcastle chose Sven Botman ahead of Inacio during the summer of 2022. And, with Botman now firmly established as one of the most reliable central defenders in English football, Newacstle are not keen on the idea of spending upwards of £50 million on a player who may struggle to oust the Dutchman from Eddie Howe’s starting XI.

Newcastle have Goncalo Inacio doubts

Newcastle, Radio Renascenca say, are ‘refusing to go crazy’ in pursuit of Inacio. They also appear to have reservations over his progress over the last 12 months or so, the 22-year-old perhaps not developing quite as rapidly as had been expected. 

Those concerns, it seems, are not shared by Newcastle’s Old Trafford counterparts however.

Fabrizio Romano reported only today that Manchester United have ‘added’ Inacio to their array of centre-back targets.

A young, ball-playing defender is expected to be one of Erik ten Hag’s top priorities in 2024, Inacio joining Edmond Tapsoba, Jean-Clair Todibo, Giorgio Scalvini and Antonio Silva – who plays down the road at Lisbon neighbours Benfica – on the shortlist. 

Manchester United prioritising a centre-half

A left-footer, Inacio would likely provide competition for Lisandro Martinez at Man United, while potentially freeing up Harry Maguire and/or Victor Lindelof to leave. He has two goals in just three appearances for Portugal too, both of those set up by none other than Bruno Fernandes during the record 9-0 hammering of Luxembourg in September. 

“(Fernandes) usually produces good crosses,” Inacio beamed at full-time (Mais Futebol). “I tried to look for space and the ball ended up falling to me there.”