Manchester United agreed a deal to sign a "brilliant talent" in the summer, and the reason a transfer fell through has now emerged.
Man Utd transfer news…
The Red Devils brought in eight new players over the summer, with eye-catching deals for Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund the stand-out transfers. It has proven to be a tricky start to the current season, though, with four defeats in the Premier League and back-to-back losses in the Champions League under Erik ten Hag. Injuries at the back have played their part, but club officials already appear to be looking at possible 2024 signings.
The likes of Goncalo Inacio, Joao Neves, Adrien Rabiot, Takefusa Kubo and Umar Sadiq have all been linked with moves to Old Trafford, and in a new update, it looks as if the Red Devils could have made it nine additions during the previous window.
Sport Witness relayed a Man Utd transfer update on Gabriel Menino in the last 48 hours, claiming the Red Devils actually had an £8m offer accepted by Palmeiras for the player in the summer.
Menino was seen as a ‘perfect element’ to join Ten Hag’s side after United scouts recommended him, however, as we know, a transfer failed to officially go through. That was due to problems at Old Trafford, with the player remaining in Brazil.
Who is Gabriel Menino?
Menino, a Brazil U23 international, has progressed through the academy at Palmeiras and has spent the entirety of his current career with the club. The 23-year-old appears to be an extremely versatile player as well, capable of turning out as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder or right-back. Menino’s transfer value currently stands at €10m by Transfermarkt and he is under contract until 2025. Breaking the Lines also picked up on the player’s versatility, saying back in 2021:
“Whilst the central midfield position is Menino’s bread and butter, his versatility is one of his biggest attributes. Similar to RB Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer, Menino is a player who covers every blade of grass and who can thrive in various positions and functions, whether that be on the right side or the left side of the pitch. Whereas he was used as a right wingback in the second leg against River Plate, he started on the right side of attack in the Final against Santos.”
On the pitch, Menino, hailed as a “brilliant talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig and compared to Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich by BTL, has already made a whopping 193 senior appearances for the club, scoring 15 times and registering 17 assists. (Gabriel Menino stats)
He could still be a player to keep an eye on, should he continue to feature heavily and impress with his current employers, and with Man Utd previously agreeing on a deal, they could look to return in the near future.
