Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira was in London on Thursday night to finalise a £46 million deal for Manchester United to sign Renato Sanches.
The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the most promising central midfielder in European football having broken into Benfica’s first-team as a teenager and featuring prominently throughout.
Sanches is under contract at Benfica until 2021 and has a buy-out clause of nearly £60m, but it is understood the club are willing to sell for £31m up front with £15m in add-ons.
United met with club officials in the capital earlier this year to discuss the deal and sent scouts to watch Sanches for Portugal against Belgium in March.
The lively box-to-box midfielder has played 22 times in the Primeira Liga this season — scoring two goals — and has won two Portugal caps.
Sanches’ burst of pace in midfield is precisely what United have been lacking under Louis van Gaal this season as they have often struggled to create chances and, as a result, score goals.
Sanches is Portugal’s hottest prospect since Cristiano Ronaldo and is represented by the Real Madrid star’s agent, Jorge Mendes.
United look set for another spending spree this summer having also registered a solid interest in £70m-rated striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gabon international has scored 34 goals in just 41 games for Borussia Dortmund this season and is being chased by a host of European giants, including Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel is worried about his squad being dismantled, with midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on his way to Manchester City and central defender Mats Hummels heading for Bayern Munich.
Any change in management at United would not affect their pursuit of Aubameyang.
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