Fill in the blank: Ruben Amorim‘s first signing for Manchester United will be _.
Most Red Devils fans would say prolific Sporting forward Viktor Gyökeres. But reports suggest Amorim is set on the superior winger Pedro Goncalves for this summer’s window.
The 26-year-old midfielder Goncalves is under contract until 2027 with a buyout clause set at $85 million.
The Portuguese player has five strikes and six assists across 12 games this season. He’s averaging 4.6 key passes per 90 minutes, making him a key cog in the midfield for Amorim’s former side.
But doesn’t Manchester United currently have a player like Goncalves in Bruno Fernandes? Yes.
Also, previous Red Devils boss Erik ten Heg fell victim to recruiting players from Ajax, most notably the $108 million bust Antony. Matthijs de Ligt has been sub-par, to say the least.
In Ruben’s case, signing his old players makes sense. Goncalves would be a much cheaper alternative to Xavi Simons or Eberechi Eze. After all, his old manager Ruben said that Goncalves could “play for any team in the world.” So, why not United?