Man United must listen to Darwin Nunez Liverpool transfer warning before sanctioning £30m move

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Manchester United know their margin for error with transfers has increasingly tightened under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos group.

The Reds' restrictions with PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) have meant that any error in the transfer market this summer will only set Ruben Amorim's team back even further. After a season in which the genuine fear of relegation has emerged for the first time in a generation, United can no longer afford a misstep with new signings.

One area of the pitch, in particular, is crucial for the Reds' prospects going into next season under Amorim. Forwards Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho have struggled badly this term, with just 23 goals between them across all competitions.

It's a pitiful return that highlights the weakest area of a squad laced with seemingly endless problems. While many of United's current attacking options are young and have some promise, they cannot be relied upon to lead the line for another campaign.

Recent reports have seen Sporting Lisbon winger Francisco Trincao linked with a £30million move to Old Trafford. The 25-year-old knows Reds boss Amorim well, having made 131 appearances under the former Braga head coach.

Trincao has looked impressive in his native Portugal, scoring 32 goals in 143 appearances. He looks like a player reborn from his previous struggles on loan at Wolves from Barcelona.

But that should serve as a warning to United. Players have excelled away from the Premier League in lesser-quality competitions for a reason.

(Image: Getty Images)

There is also a recent precedent of a forward struggling after leaving a top Portuguese team to join one of English football's big clubs. Liverpool found this out to their determinant, having signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica in 2022 for around £85m, including add-ons.

The Uruguay striker was also linked with a move to Old Trafford before he moved to Merseyside. It was one transfer to a rival team United will have been glad to miss out on.

Nunez has become a hugely divisive forward at Anfield, with Liverpool believing at the time that they had signed an elite striker who would fire them to win major trophies. It could not have been further from the truth, with Nunez routinely looking out of his depth

There will be some talent in Portugal and similar leagues who could do well in England. It may have been several decades ago, but there is no greater success story from Portuguese football than Cristiano Ronaldo. Bruno Fernandes has also been a success since joining from Liga Portugal.

And yet recent evidence has shown that United must exercise caution. Signing players from a league the manager knows well has had disastrous consequences with Erik ten Hag having a huge say on the Reds' acquisitions from the Netherlands in recent years.

United must not make the same mistake with Amorim and if history is not to repeat itself, they must think twice before sanctioning a move for Trincao.

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