Transfer Lens: Latest on €45m Manchester United target

william-carvalho-sporting-lisbon-football_3012686
william-carvalho-sporting-lisbon-football_3012686

William Carvalho saga rolls on. Almost on a regular basis Portuguese press are covering reports on him. We bring you here the latest update on the midfielder’s transfer situation.

william-carvalho-sporting-lisbon-football_3012686

A quick recap: Manchester United are leading the chase to land him. Chelsea were interested too, but following the capture of Nemanja Matic in last January transfer window, their interest in the midfielder has died down.

Inter Milan and several others European heavy weights are vying for his signature too, but his €45m buy-out clause has proved to be too much for all the potential suitors.

Carvalho has been in fantastic form this season and has impressed everyone with his one-after-another top performance in the league. Sporting have maintained the stance that they won’t sell the player for unless the buy-out clause is met. Their sporting director Bruno de Carvalho said as we quoted yesterday:

“William’s exit isn’t inevitable, I’m almost sure he will continue at Sporting but you never know whether some club will show up and beat his buyout clause.

“William is happy at Sporting and we’re facing another important year, with the Champions League, and fighting for the title in Portugal. Right now, we’re not worried about anyone exiting the club.”

Now, ex-leader of Sporting, Luís Vidigal, commented on the matter, hinting Sporting cannot hold onto him, of the player’s buy-out clause is met. He said:

“It will be very difficult to keep Carvalho. I believe it will tough for Sporting to keep William. It’s true that not all clubs have the financial resources to sign him but in case someone meets his clause Sporting won’t be able to do anything.

“William wishes to play for a bigger club/league as well, but he needs to be grateful to Sporting for everything they did for him.”

“What we had realised in the first half of the league was that we were in the presence of an extraordinary player, unique, with a great presence on the pitch and sensational quality and positional sense. It really caught the attention of all the big European clubs.”

Basically everyone is saying the same thing – buyer club needs to pay his release clause. But, the frequency with which these lines are repeated makes us wonder, whether Sporting desperately want any buyer to get him as early as possible!

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