If it’s Monday morning, you grab a cup of coffee and open a Portuguese newspaper, what do you expect to read? That Manchester United are expected to bid for a Benfica player soon, of course.
Nelson Semedo is the one chosen by Benfica to be the next one to be sold, and according to O Jogo today, Manchester United will be offering €35m for him.
This is exactly same amount the Red Devils paid for Victor Lindelof this month, although the deal for the Swedish defender included an agreement for another €10m in bonuses.
But this time, it’s possible that €35m wouldn’t be enough. O Jogo claims that Benfica’s plan is to make €40m with Semedo’s sale. Other newspapers who have claims regarding the player, such as Record, claim Benfica are actually demanding €50m.
Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has already been in England to speak to Manchester United about the player, but still couldn’t manage to close this deal.
In case Manchester United’s bid is still short, Benfica are still thinking they could include Joel Pereira in the negotiations. This is a rumour that has been commented since the talks for Lindelof, but Jose Mourinho’s admiration for the youngster is always mentioned, and United don’t want to get rid of him.
This O Jogo report is almost certainly the basis for Mundo Deportivo claims on Monday afternoon that Manchester United have already offered €35m for Semedo. That’s how the rumour mill works.
