Bruno Fernandes is endorsing Manchester United’s push to sign Sporting Lisbon left-back Nuno Mendes, according to reports in Portugal.
The 18-year-old defender has emerged as one of the brightest young prospects in the Primeira Liga after making his debut for Sporting last year.
Last month, Mendes was rewarded for his good displays with his first senior international call-up, and he played three matches for Portugal during the recent international break.
According to Record, the Red devils have been keeping tabs on Mendes’ progress and are looking to make a move this summer transfer window in order to beat competition from Man City and Liverpool.
The report claims that Alex Telles, who moved to United from Porto last summer, has been offered on loan as a ‘bargaining chip’ to Sporting in order to reduce the asking price for the player.
Mendes has a €70m (£59.3m) release clause in his current deal with Sporting but it’s believed that the Portuguese team are willing to accept a fee around €40m (£34m).
The report also claims that Fernandes is aware of Manchester United’s move to sign Mendes and is ‘pushing’ for the club to sign his international teammate.
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Fernandes and Mendes, who were both involved in the latest international break with the Portugal squad, also share the same agent.
When asked about the prospect of Mendes signing for another club this summer, Sporting manager Ruben Amorim conceded that he wants the defender to stay.
‘I think that Nuno is not prepared to leave a year or two years from now,’ he said. ‘It will only be five years from now, I want to be with him for many years.’
