Manchester United monitoring Sporting's Pedro Goncalves
By Mitch Wilks
Manchester United have identified Sporting CP's Pedro Goncalves as an option in their search for a right winger.
United have long been searching for a right-sided attacker to provide a balance to their lineup and have been linked with a host of names, none more so than Jadon Sancho last summer.
Sancho hasn't been the only candidate despite their obvious interest, and the Telegraph report that United are now eyeing Goncalves, who has shined for Sporting this season in the absence of a certain Bruno Fernandes.
Goncalves has managed 15 goals and five assists from 26 appearances for Sporting so far this season and has a £51.7m release clause in his contract. The 22-year-old only joined Sporting last summer, but his form has attracted interest from a host of sides who see him as an affordable option.
Goncalves is a right winger by trade, but has often been deployed in a central role this season for Sporting to accommodate for the departure of Fernandes.
The Portugal Under-21 has previously spent time in England having signed for Wolves in 2017, but never found his way into the first team and returned to Portugal in 2019 having managed just one senior appearance at Molineux.
The Red Devils' successful history of signing top players from Sporting in the past makes this an immediately exciting prospect. They signed Cristiano Ronaldo from the club in a £12.24m fee in 2003, and more recently captured Fernandes in January 2020 for £47m.
Fernandes' 35 goals and 21 assists from 65 games at Old Trafford has been nothing short of magnificent, and his instant impact has been key to helping United improve throughout 2020 and 2021.
Adding a right winger is believed to be the next step in solidifying their attack, and Goncalves presents a more affordable option than the likes of Sancho.