There were reports from Turkey over the weekend suggesting that Manchester United are interested in Alanyaspor defender Merih Demiral.
With thanks to a report from Sport Witness, we now know those claims are being backed up by Portuguese press.
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According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, translated by SW, the Reds had scouts at the U21 match between France and Turkey on Friday, and had some special attention on the 20-year-old.
SW explain why this would interest Portuguese media.
Despite playing for Alanyaspor this season, Demiral actually belongs to Sporting, who loaned him to the Turkish club during the summer window.
Meanwhile, O Jogo claims that Alanyaspor will be activating their buyout clause for the player, and will sign him on a permanent deal for €3.5 million.
This means they will be able to make a profit should good bids arrive, which is likely to be the case with United already sniffing around.
As of now, until we see reports from the British press, it’s fair to remain wary of such links. Manchester United and other major European clubs are often used to hype things up a bit.
That is no secret to any football agent.
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