Manchester United had officials scout Benfica’s match against Famalicão last night. And for those who know how often the Red Devils watch these matches, this isn’t a surprise.
Still, the Portuguese media today highlights the fact the club are still interested in the local market, despite just completing a big purchase there.
Newspapers Record and O Jogo both have scouting lists for this game, and show that Manchester United continue being interested in local clubs, even following the €55m (plus bonuses) arrival of Bruno Fernandes in January.
This time, the Red Devils saw Benfica beat Famalicão 3-2. This was the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semifinals.
It was quite an enjoyable game to watch. Benfica opened the scoring with Pizzi, and Famalicão even managed to make a comeback with Pedro Gonçalves and Toni Martinez. But the Eagles have shown their strength by equalising with Rafa and then scoring a last minute winner with Gabriel.
Manchester United haven’t been linked to players from either of these clubs lately. We’d normally say only Benfica starlets would attract the Red Devils’ interest, but given how good Famalicão’s season has been, it wouldn’t be a shock to see a few talents leaving the club in the summer.