This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Portuguese publication A Bola (via Sport Witness), Manchester United had scouts at Benfica’s game with Braga to run the rule over Ruben Dias and Florentino Luis.
What’s the word?
Dias’ name was linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier this summer amid the Red Devils’ struggles to get a deal over the line for Harry Maguire.
Luis is a similarly highly-rated prospect at Benfica, and was reported to be of interest to Manchester City following a break-through season with the club.
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Now, A Bola claim United had members of their scouting team present to witness the Eagles’ 4-0 win, and are “attentive to the pearls that come out in Portugal”.
A promising sign
Whilst scouting missions are nothing out of the norm and are by no means a guarantee of a new signing, A Bola’s report makes for positive reading for United. The Red Devils are in the midst of a rebuild, and securing highly-rated youngsters who are being coveted by some of the world’s best would be some coup.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has publicly insisted he will give chances to youngsters in his first-team, and the likes of Dias and Luis may look to that as a sign of reassurance that they simply wouldn’t get lost in the crowd at United. Portuguese football has been kind to the club in recent history, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani arriving from the country.
If United can pip their rivals to the signings of Dias and Luis, then it will be another reminder they fully intend on completing this restructuring of the playing staff.
