Manchester United will reportedly approach Benfica to see if Goncalo Ramos will be available for transfer in the January window.
Ramos, 21, hit the headlines earlier this month after scoring a hat-trick in Portugal's 6-1 victory over Switzerland at the World Cup in Qatar. The Benfica talent was selected for that tie ahead of former United striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Old Trafford last month.
Despite United's reported interest in Ramos, it's believed the club's transfer gurus have told manager Erik ten Hag there are no guarantees a new forward will arrive in January. The Dutchman's squad is depleted following Ronaldo's exit by mutual consent.
According to ESPN, Ramos is on United's transfer shortlist and the Premier League club will enquire about his availability in January. Cody Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven, Rafael Leao of AC Milan and Joao Felix of Atletico Madrid are the other three players on their radar.
It's claimed there are significant budget constraints at United due to a loss of earnings during the Covid pandemic and their huge outlay last summer. More than £200million was spent on Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Antony.
Yet Ten Hag is keen to bring in a new striker due to Ronaldo's exit. Benfica reportedly wanted around €20m (£17.2m) for Ramos at the beginning of the season, yet his World Cup exploits and impressive club form have significantly increased his market valuation.
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Ramos has scored nine goals in 11 Primeira Liga appearances this term to fill the void left by Darwin Nunez, who joined United's rivals Liverpool last summer. Ramos reportedly has a buyout clause of €120m (£103m) and Benfica do not want to sell him in January.
"We have the sole objective of having a winning season, no player will leave, unless it is due to the clause, which at this moment is fundamental for the squad," said Benfica president Rui Costa.
"What I can promise our supporters is what I did at the beginning of the year. This is a sporting project, not a financial one. Fortunately, we are not experiencing financial problems and we have no need to sell players."
Gakpo's valuation has also increased since the start of the season. The 23-year-old has scored 14 goals and provided 16 assists in all competitions for PSV this term. He also found the net three times at the World Cup to help Netherlands reach the quarter-finals, where they were defeated by Argentina.
PSV reportedly wanted €30m (£25.8m) for Gakpo last summer but that asking price has increased to €50m (£42.9m). "He has no clause or anything," said PSV's director of football, Marcel Brands. "And no amounts have been agreed on either... It must be a record transfer for PSV, anyway."
PSV's club-record sale was Hirving Lozano's €40m (£34.4m) move to Napoli in August 2019. United fans would have expected their club to be able to afford a player of that value.
