The sight of two Sporting Lisbon directors in Manchester today set tongues wagging at Old Trafford, following speculation linking the club with Bruno Fernandes .
Man Utd have been tipped to sign the Portuguese midfielder this summer in a deal worth in excess of £50 million.
Sporting’s club president Frederico Varandas and sporting director Hugo Viana flew to Manchester on Tuesday on business, but their work turned out to be at the home of United’s rivals.
Rather than head for the Theatre of Dreams, Varandas and Viana instead went straight to the Etihad to meet with Manchester City chiefs.
The MEN report that the pair were there to discuss terms over a potential deal with City – not for Fernandes – but for 18-year-old Felix Correia.
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City are expected to complete the signing of the young winger, but a fee is yet to be agreed.
Sporting are holding out for £6.2 million for Correia, who is still to make his first-team debut.
City are adamant meanwhile that the price will be closer to half of that amount.
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Reports in Portugal have now suggested that Varandas and Viana are hoping to use the stand-off to their advantage, and build stronger relations with the Premier League champions.
As part of the close bond, City would get first option on any of Sporting’s stars, with a deal for Correia likely to be used as bait to coax them into the arrangement.
The Portuguese under-19 star has been talked of in the same breath as former Sporting academy graduates and ex-United stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.
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United meanwhile are hopeful of landing Sporting’s current talisman Fernandes, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keen to make him one of three further additions to his squad before the transfer window shuts.
The Red Devils have already landed deals for Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James this summer.
Solskjaer reportedly wants to add another defender, a central midfielder and a forward before the end of the window.
