Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag ‘appreciates characteristics’ of Sporting defender

Manchester United have been linked with another central defender this week.

The Red Devils are expected to have a busy summer transfer window that will see at least one new central defender come through the door.

This comes with United lacking any real quality in that position outside of Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire.

One of the main names tipped to make the switch to Old Trafford was Ajax’s Jurrien Timber.

Now though,  Correio da Manhã via Sport Witness claim that United are interested in Goncalo Inacio of Sporting.

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Inacio is just 20 years of age and has spent his entire career at Sporting where he has already notched over 70 appearances for their senior side.  The centre-back has also been called up to the Portuguese national team, but is yet to make his debut at the time of writing.

The Lisbon side will not let Inacio go for less than that €45m price tag, but Manchester United do remain interested in him

It is added that United manager Erik ten Hag ‘appreciates Inacio’s characteristics’, as he believes the player has the qualities ‘to impose himself in English football’.

As for the player himself, whilst he is said to ‘calm’ and ‘comfortable’ at Sporting, Inacio knows playing at a club ‘of Manchester United’s dimension’ and ‘in the best league in the world’ would ‘catapult him to another level:

Gonçalo Inácio | Player knows move to Manchester United will ‘catapult him to another level’ – Ten Hag appreciates characteristics.https://t.co/wOsvk5WV9b #mufc

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) June 7, 2022

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