Man Utd offer Sporting four players as they strike €70m Fernandes deal

Joe Williams
Bruno Fernandes Sporting Lisbon

Manchester United have offered Sporting Lisbon a choice of four players on loan to sweeten the deal for Bruno Fernandes, according to reports in Portugal.

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with the Portugal midfielder in recent days with Sporting Lisbon said to be in negotiations over selling their prized asset.

The Portuguese club have been open to selling Fernandes since the summer when the midfielder was reported to be subject of interest from United and Tottenham

But United appear to be making their move – with reports on Monday saying that Man Utd had made a £50m offer for Fernandes with the player making it clear to Sporting that he wanted to move.

It was understood that talks between the two clubs had ‘failed’ to reach an agreement over price with Sporting given the weekend to mull over the Premier League club’s offer.

However, the latest reports on Tuesday indicated that a deal has been struck between Sporting and Man Utd.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola (via Sport Witness) claims that there has been an ‘agreement for €60m + €10m and the yield of players’.

The report adds that the deal is ‘advancing at cruising speed’ with A Bola‘s front page saying: ‘Andreas Pereira in Bruno negotiations’.

Despite the apparent fast pace of the deal, the report goes on to say that ‘the lions are slowing down the conclusion of the deal as they continue to examine the various possibilities placed on the table by the English for possible loans’.

It is understood that United have offered four players to Sporting as possible loan options with Andreas Pereira, Joel Pereira, Marcos Rojo and Angel Gomes believed to be the names on the table.

The report hints that Sporting may attempt to delay the deal so that Fernandes can play a farewell appearance in their important clash with ‘eternal rival Benfica’.

Andreas is thought to be the Pereira that Sporting are most keen on with the midfielder making 15 Premier League starts this season, while Rojo’s wages and Gomes’ inexperience could put them off.