Updated: 6 May 2026 19:04 BST |
4 min read
Manchester United are interested in Lyon winger Afonso Moreira, who was previously overlooked by Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP.
The 21-year-old has been a revelation in Ligue 1 this season. Last summer, Moreira joined Lyon for a measly €2 million, which was a deal that caused astonishment among Sporting CP supporters.
For a club that had built a reputation of being tough negotiators, it was out of character to sell a highly-rated prospect for such a trifling amount of money. A small consolation, though, was the fact that Sporting managed to secure a 20% sell-on clause.
This clause could kick in sooner than perhaps anticipated. Because of his exploits for Lyon this season, Moreira is starting to attract widespread attention around Europe’s top leagues.
The young winger has bagged eight goals and provided 11 assists in 35 appearances across all competitions. He has played just over 2,000 minutes, so these are quite impressive numbers and could result in a quick exit from Lyon.
Man Utd eye Moreira
According to A Bola, Man Utd are among the clubs interested in Moreira ahead of a summer in which they are expected to dip into the market for a left winger. Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford are set to leave Old Trafford.
For now, Man Utd’s interest appears to be just that. He is on the club’s radar, but there are no suggestions that they are already thinking about placing a bid for the Portuguese youngster. In addition to the Red Devils, Moreira is also fielding interest from Serie A and the Bundesliga.
A move to Man Utd would certainly be something of an ironic twist of fate for Moreira. Michael Carrick has enjoyed great success by pretty much doing the opposite of what his predecessor Ruben Amorim did: playing Kobbie Mainoo, using Bruno Fernandes as a 10, not lining up with a back three.
Another of Amorim’s blunders was not recognising the talent of Moreira. The youngster was chomping at the bit to break into Sporting’s first team during the 41-year-old’s time in charge of the club, but he was only afforded 61 minutes of senior football.
He played even less in the few months following Amorim’s exit and was ultimately sold in the summer. Moreira still has some regrets, it seems. Speaking to A Bola last month, the 21-year-old admitted that becoming a Sporting star remains an “unfilled dream.”
Asked whether he was frustrated about his lack of first-team action, he said: “I wouldn’t say frustrated, perhaps it was just another unfulfilled dream. At the time, I was decided on Lyon, but of course it was very difficult to leave the club where I grew up.
“I was a kid who felt very connected to the club. That dream remains unwritten, but now it’s time to look ahead. If God willed it so, there must be a reason… I always did my job with the intention of establishing myself in the first team.
“It didn’t happen, but I’m grateful to all the coaches who gave me the opportunity to wear the Sporting jersey,” he added before insisting: “I have nothing to complain about.”
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