Manchester United Pursue £70m Brazilian Attackers for Champions League Push

Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United are actively pursuing significant reinforcements for their attacking line, with reports indicating strong interest in two Brazilian forwards, William GomesPlayer·William Gomes of FC PortoTeam·FC Porto and Igor ThiagoPlayer·Igor Thiago from BrentfordTeam·Brentford. Both players are valued around the £70 million mark, signaling United's intent to build on their successful 2025/26 Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League campaign.

Following a third-place finish in the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League, which secured their spot in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League, Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United are looking to bolster their squad depth and quality. The club's improved performance in the latter half of the 2025/26 season, under head coach Michael Carrick, saw them accumulate 41 points from 19 games after January 1, making them the league's best-performing side in that period.

William GomesPlayer·William Gomes, a 20-year-old winger from FC PortoTeam·FC Porto, has emerged as a primary target. The versatile Brazilian, capable of playing on either flank, reportedly scored 13 goals and provided two assists during the 2025/26 season. While United are keen on his services, conflicting reports suggest Gomes is focused on remaining with Porto to participate in the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League with his current club.

Another Brazilian talent on United's radar is Igor ThiagoPlayer·Igor Thiago, a centre-forward currently with BrentfordTeam·Brentford. Thiago enjoyed an impressive 2025/26 Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League season, netting 22 goals in 38 appearances, a performance that earned him a call-up to Brazil's World CupCompetition·World Cup squad. Valued at an estimated €80 million (£69 million), Thiago is also reportedly attracting interest from ArsenalTeam·Arsenal, setting the stage for a potential transfer battle.

United's pursuit of these high-profile attackers comes after a period of strategic squad adjustments. The club made significant investments in the summer of 2025, bringing in attackers such as Matheus CunhaPlayer·Matheus Cunha, Bryan MbeumoPlayer·Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin SeskoPlayer·Benjamin Sesko, all of whom delivered double-digit goal tallies in their debut seasons. Concurrently, key players like Marcus RashfordPlayer·Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund were loaned out, while Alejandro GarnachoPlayer·Alejandro Garnacho and AntonyPlayer·Antony were sold.

In related transfer news, Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United have already secured the services of Brazilian midfielder EdersonPlayer·Ederson from AtalantaTeam·Atalanta for a fee of approximately £35-40.5 million. This signing is expected to address the departure of veteran midfielder CasemiroPlayer·Casemiro, who moved to InterTeam·Inter Miami at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.

The club's CEO, Omar Berrada, has outlined a transfer strategy that combines seasoned Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League talent with promising overseas stars. This approach aims to replicate the success of their previous summer window and target at least five new signings for the upcoming season, underscoring United's ambition to compete vigorously across all fronts in the 2026/27 campaign.