David Moyes has taken an interest in Portugal under-21 international Andre Gomes following a midweek scouting trip to Lisbon. The Manchester United manager attended Benfica's 3-1 Taca de Portugal semifinal victory over FC Porto on Wednesday night in order to personally assess several individuals recommended as potential summer signings.
Moyes is said to have been unimpressed by the contributions of Jackson Martinez, the Portuguese League's leading goalscorer, and of his Porto teammate, Eliaquim Mangala, the much-coveted France center back Manchester City attempted to sign in January. Instead, the Scot took a fancy to 20-year-old holding midfielder Gomes, who produced an outstanding finish 10 minutes from time to decided the two-legged tie.
Gomes has been used primarily as a substitute by Benfica this season as the Lisbon club has established a seven-point lead in its domestic league and secured a Europa League semifinal against Juventus. The quality of Gomes' passing and his 6-foot-2 frame have, however, attracted the attention of Liverpool, who inquired about the player during the winter window.
Instead, Benfica sold Gomes' economic rights to Meriton Capital Limited, an investment fund controlled by the Singapore billionaire Peter Lim, ensuring the midfielder remained at Estadio da Luz until the end of this season. In addition to the €15million fee paid by Meriton, Benfica are entitled to 25 percent of any profit on Gomes' eventual transfer to another club.
Following a season in which United failed to mount a coherent challenge in either domestic or European competition, Moyes has effectively made his future at the club dependent on his ability to convince its American owners to accept an argument that the Premier League winning squad he inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson was no longer fit for purpose. The coach has proposed an unprecedented and hugely expensive overhaul of that group, asking for at least five top-class players in addition to January's club-record acquisition of Juan Mata from Chelsea.
To facilitate such a radical recruitment drive, Moyes has already made extensive changes to United's scouting department, bringing in trusted figures from the section he built at Everton. His new scouts have drawn up a long list of targets with the aim of buying in at least two first-team midfielders, defenders and a striker, yet there remains serious doubt as to whether Moyes will be permitted to continue as Old Trafford manager into a second campaign.