Benfica defender Alvaro Fernandez has expressed his desire to stay in Portugal amidst reported interest from Manchester United.
The Red Devils are set to take on Real Sociedad in the first leg of their round of 16 clash in the Europa League, with the competition the club's only route back into Europe next season.
Ruben Amorim's side are currently 14th in the Premier League with just 33 points after 27 matchweeks, and the Portuguese boss is in desperate need of summer reinforcements.
Left-back Alvaro Fernandez has been linked with a return to Old Trafford after leaving to join Benfica permanently last summer, but the defender was not keen on returning to United, telling to A Bola: "There's always interest from teams and everyone wants to grow, but I'm doing very well here (at Benfica). Manchester United have an option to buy that has been signed, but I'm very happy here."
The Red Devils reportedly have the option to buy the left-back in the summer for a fee of around £16.7m, though it remains to be seen if they can convince the defender to leave Portugal.
© Imago
Where should United prioritise?
Luke Shaw would be an excellent option for Amorim to play as a wing-back on the left side of defence, but the Englishman has often been beset by injury problems during his time at the club.
However, Patrick Dorgu was brought to Old Trafford in January and there is an expectation that he will be used in place of Shaw, so it would be surprising if Fernandez was also signed to play on the left.
Given United have only scored 33 goals in the Premier League - the sixth-worst return in the top flight - acquiring offensive reinforcement should be seen as a priority.
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have struggled when asked to lead the line for the Red Devils, with the duo having found the back of the net five times in the league.
The club are also likely to sanction the permanent departures of Marcus Rashford and Antony in the upcoming summer transfer window, so it would be concerning if Amorim was not provided with more attacking firepower.
However, with the team's transfer budget reportedly limited due to the club's financial difficulties, the Red Devils boss may have to look for cheaper alternatives to his current options rather than pursuing star names such as Victor Osimhen or Viktor Gyokeres.
Lewis Nolan
