Manchester United currently have a plethora of attacking talent on the books at the disposal of new boss Ruben Amorim, with the Sporting CP manager set to take over the Red Devils in the coming days.
The 39-year-old will be looking to fine-tune the group of forwards, with the club struggling to find the back of the net during the early stages of the new campaign.
Under former boss Erik ten Hag, they only managed to notch eight goals in nine matches, with Bruno Fernandes scoring the club’s ninth Premier League goal under Ruud van Nistelrooy during the recent draw with Chelsea.
Players such as Marcus Rashford, Antony and Joshua Zirkee have all failed to impress during 2024/25 – with the aforementioned trio only scoring a combined two league goals so far this season.
The Brazilian cost the Red Devils £85m on his own, now looking to be a huge waste of money, potentially seeing new boss Amorim wish his new outfit had a player similar to a former fans-favourite in his prime.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s stats at Manchester United
Back in the summer of 2003, Portuguese talent Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Manchester as an unknown quantity to many, but quickly cemented himself as a first-team regular – creating endless moments of magic at Old Trafford.
He would go on to make 277 appearances during his first stint in the Premier League, scoring 112 times – helping United win various trophies alongside his personal success.
Ronaldo would be part of three title-winning squads under Sir Alex Ferguson, also claiming a Champions League triumph back in 2007/08 over fellow English side Chelsea in Moscow.
The league and Champions League double, along with his tally of 42 goals in just 49 matches, saw him claim his first Ballon d’Or – his first of five during his successful career at the top level of European football.
He would only enjoy one more season at Old Trafford before swapping England for Spain in a mega £80m deal to join LaLiga giants Real Madrid- a then world record transfer fee.
Ronaldo would spend 18 months back at the Theatre of Dreams between 2021 and 2023, but a bust-up with former boss Ten Hag would end his dream return with United before he was subsequently shipped off to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Cristiano Ronaldo's record pre Saudi
However, in January, the club could be presented with an opportunity to land a talent who could be their new version of the Portuguese superstar.
Man Utd interested in 17-year-old sensation
According to Manchester Evening News, Man Utd are currently tracking Sporting winger Geovany Quenda ahead of a potential move to Old Trafford.
The 17-year-old, who currently plays for Amorim’s side, has already caught the eye in this campaign, producing a stellar display in the 4-1 victory over Manchester City on Tuesday night.
Quenda has already made 17 appearances for the Liga Portugal outfit during 2024/25, scoring just once, but demonstrating the qualities of a talent way beyond his tender years.
The “unreal” winger, as dubbed by Statman Dave, has created 17 chances in his ten league outings, completing 71% of his dribbles – showcasing his ability to create opportunities in the final third – just as a young Ronaldo did at Sporting before moving to England.
Games played
10
Goals scored
1
Pass accuracy
84%
Chances created
17
Dribbles completed
71%
Duels won
65%
Recoveries made
29
However, Quenda has also won 65% of the duels he’s entered this campaign, making 29 recoveries which makes him the perfect wide option for Amorim in his 3-4-3 system – a huge reason as to why he’s keen on taking the teenager with him to Manchester.
He’s under contract until the summer of 2027 in Lisbon, with the fee for his services currently unknown but likely to be a hefty figure given his recent emergence and talent for the Liga Portugal side.
Whilst it may be an expensive deal, his potential is huge and if he is to even slightly follow in the footsteps of Ronaldo by moving from Portugal to Old Trafford as a teenager, the potential transfer would be worth every penny.
Amorim will want to make a positive impact at United from the get-go, with a deal for Quenda in January potentially boosting his chances of turning the club’s early fortunes around.
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