Man United and Liverpool make enquiry for £51m-rated defender

Manchester United and Liverpool are keen on signing the Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio.

According to football transfers, the two Premier League clubs have now stepped up their interest in signing the 22-year-old central defender.

The Portuguese defender reportedly has a £51 million release clause in his contract, but the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool are hoping to sign him for less than that and they have already made enquiries. The 22-year-old is capable of operating as a central defender as well as a left-sided full-back. He could prove to be the ideal acquisition for the English club.

Liverpool will need to replace Joel Matip adequately and Inacio would be a quality long-term investment for them. Matip will be out of contract in the summer and he has been a key player for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, the likes of Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane have been linked with moves away from the club at the end of the season. Manchester United will need to bring in a quality central defender in the summer. They have been linked with a move for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as well. However, it is fair to assume that Inacio will be a cheaper alternative.

Goncalo Inacio would improve Liverpool and Man United

The Portuguese defender has shown his quality with Sporting CP and he has the physical and technical attributes to do well in the Premier League as well. The opportunity to join clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United will be difficult to turn down. They are amongst the biggest clubs in the world and they could provide Inacio with the platform to showcase his qualities at a higher level and compete for trophies regularly.

It will be interesting to see if Sporting CP are willing to sell the player below his release clause this summer. He has been a key player for them and they will probably look to recoup as much as possible.