Man Utd steps up bid for Sporting defender as Dortmund enter race

Manchester United are reportedly speeding up their bid to sign Sporting CP defender Gonçalo Inácio due to interest from Borussia Dortmund

The German club are threatening to derail Ruben Amorim’s hopes of a reunion with his former player.

Amorim, who promoted Inácio to Sporting’s first team during his tenure, had initially vowed not to raid his former club in the January transfer window.

However, Dortmund’s interest has forced United to rethink their stance, potentially prompting a move for the highly-rated centre-back.

According to Maisfutebol, Manchester United are preparing to submit a loan offer for Inácio with an obligation to buy for €40m (£33.6m)—matching Dortmund’s proposal.

Inácio’s agent, who also represents Amorim and United captain Bruno Fernandes, has been in discussions with both clubs.

After meeting with United earlier this week, the agent is now traveling to Germany to hold talks with Dortmund.

Sporting are reportedly open to selling Inácio if their €40m asking price is met. If the competition comes down to United and Dortmund, the Red Devils could have an advantage due to Inácio’s strong connection with Amorim.

During his time at Sporting, Amorim placed significant trust in Inácio, handing him his senior debut and making him one of the club’s most-utilized players.

Inácio’s familiarity with Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system makes him an appealing target for United as they look to strengthen their defensive options.

United must now decide if they need another left-footed centre-back to complement Lisandro Martínez. With Dortmund pushing hard for Inácio, United may need to act quickly to secure the Portuguese international.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are closing in on their first signing of the Amorim era: Cerro Porteño wing-back Diego Leon. The Paraguayan defender is undergoing a medical today ahead of a move to Old Trafford.

However, Leon won’t officially join United until he turns 18 in April and will remain with Cerro Porteño until pre-season.

In other news, Marcus Rashford remains heavily linked with Barcelona as he explores options to leave Manchester United. According to recent reports, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has softened his demands for Rashford’s departure, with Barcelona working on a way to fund the deal.

Offloading Rashford would help ease United’s wage bill, and the club could see further departures with Casemiro and Antony also reportedly up for sale.

As United navigate financial constraints and aim to reshape their squad under Amorim, decisive moves in both the transfer market and player sales could define the second half of their season.