Andreas Pereira could be heading to Sporting Lisbon on loan as a makeweight in Manchester United‘s for Bruno Fernandes.
The Old Trafford club have offered various players in order to get the deal for the Portuguese attacking midfielder over the line, and Pereira is the one Sporting are most interested in, according to reports in Portugal.
The two clubs’ negotiations are stuttering over their respective valuations of Fernandes, with Sporting now wanting a transfer fee of £64million, paid up front.
Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United have differing opinions over the valuation of Bruno Fernandes, with the Portuguese club now demanding £64m for the playmaker
United midfielder Andreas Pereira could be used as a makeweight to seal the deal
United are understood to be offering £50m plus a further £10m in add-ons.
But that would be beefed up by including a player in the deal, with Brazilian midfielder Pereira, who stands to be replaced in the United team by Fernandes, the latest to be offered in a loan deal.
Newspaper report that United offered Sporting their fourth-choice goalkeeper Joel Pereira, defender Marcos Rojo and playmaker Angel Gomes — but none of them interested the Portuguese club.
Portugal star Fernandes is wanted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with his midfield desperately light
Fernandes scores his second goal for Sporting Lisbon against Vitoria on Saturday night
Solskjaer wants Fernandes after losing Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay to injury recently
Fernandes, here scoring a penalty, may leave Lisbon before they face rivals Benfica on Friday
Andreas Pereira, 24, has featured regularly for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this season, starting 15 Premier League matches and three in the EFL Cup.
But there have been question marks over whether the United academy graduate is of the calibre to play for the first team as Solskjaer continues his rebuilding operation.
The loan offer suggests, however, that United do want to keep him in the long-term.
Fernandes, 25, wants to sign for United and they fast-forwarded plans to sign him in the current window following injuries to midfielders Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.
It is still possible that a deal can be struck before Sporting are due to play their rivals Benfica in the Lisbon derby on Friday night.
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