Newcastle want to sign Manchester United target valued at around £69 million: Reports
Newcastle United are reportedly keen to sign Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, who has been heavily linked with Manchester United of late.
Ramos, 22, has been atop the Red Devils' wishlist since the turn of the year due to his brilliant performances for club and country last season.
A right-footed attacker blessed with pace and finishing, the seven-cap Portugal star helped Benfica lift the Primeira Liga title last campaign. He registered a stellar 27 goals and 12 assists in 47 overall matches.
Last year, Ramos also turned heads at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as he scored a last-16 hat-trick against Switzerland. He also provided an assist in 153 minutes of action, spread across four games.
According to The Sun, Newcastle are preparing an initial offer for the forward after closing Sandro Tonali's £60 million signing from AC Milan.
However, Benfica are unwilling to entertain offers less than £69 million for Ramos. The Magpies are ready to go as high as £52 million for him.
Ramos, whose current deal is set to expire in June 2026, could prove to be a great signing for Eddie Howe's side should he join them. He would provide competition to the likes of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.
On the other hand, Manchester United could also prove to be a stellar proposition for the in-demand Portuguese star. They would offer him an outright starting spot in light of Anthony Martial's decline in stature.
Journalist names 3 potential transfer targets for Manchester United ahead of next term
Speaking to GiveMeSport, transfer insider Dean Jones suggested that Manchester United could end up signing three Serie A stars. He said:
"There is a major Serie A exodus on the cards this summer and Manchester United are well-placed to take advantage of it right now. Andre Onana is the prime target in this moment but Dusan Vlahovic and Rasmus Hojlund are currently in their sights too."
Shedding light on the Serie A's current financial situation, Jones added:
"This is a market whereby Italian clubs are finding it hard to fend off bids for their top talent. We have seen Sandro Tonali nabbed by Newcastle and Kim Min-jae picked up by Bayern Munich. The feeling is that much more is to come and Manchester United are looking at that situation right now to see how they can force further deals."
The Red Devils are currently aiming to sign a first-choice goalkeeper as they opted to not renew David de Gea's contract last month. They are also keen to snap up a striker to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Apart from the aforementioned three players, Erik ten Hag's outfit are also keeping tabs on Diogo Costa, Justin Bijlow and Victor Osimhen.