€60m title-winner ‘awakens’ Man Utd ‘interest’ – Bruno Fernandes is INEOS’ secret weapon | OneFootball

Manchester United have taken a shine to Sporting CP central defender Goncalo Inacio, according to a Spanish journalist, and Bruno Fernandes could play a role in helping the club’s co-owners, INEOS, get a deal done for him.

According to AS journalist Eduardo Burgos, Man Utd are among the clubs that have been impressed with Inacio’s performances this season.

The defender has been a key player for Sporting CP in the 2025/26 campaign, making 25 appearances in Liga Portugal and 10 in the Champions League.

Inacio has scored two goals and given three assists in 39 matches in all competitions this season, helping Sporting CP to second in Liga Portugal and to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Burgos wrote on X at 3:06pm on April 14: “Gonçalo Inácio awakens interest from the big clubs.

“His great season at Sporting, especially in the Champions League, has drawn attention in England (Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United) and Spain.

“His release clause amounts to 60M€, but it’s negotiable.”

Inacio has been on the books of Sporting CP since 2012 and has been hugely successful with the Portuguese club.

The 24-year-old Portugal international has won Liga Portugal thrice, Taca de Portugal once, and Taca da Liga twice with Sporting CP so far in his career.

Inacio plays with Bruno Fernandes for the Portugal national football team, and the Man Utd attacking midfielder could be pivotal to INEOS getting a deal done for him.

Fernandes will, no doubt, have only good things to say about Man Utd, who could qualify for the Champions League next season.

There are doubts on whether Chelsea (and potentially Liverpool) will be able to finish in the Premier League top five this season, which makes Man Utd a genuinely strong contender for Inacio’s signature.

It is also encouraging for Man Utd that Sporting CP would be willing to negotiate the release clause in the defender’s contract.

Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven and Harry Maguire are the five recognised centre-backs in the Man Utd squad at the moment.

Heaven is still only 19, while Yoro’s tender age of 20 means that Man Utd need to be patient with him, too.

Inacio is an established Portugal international, and at the age of 24, he is ready to take the leap from Sporting CP and move to Man Utd in the summer of 2026.