MANCHESTER UNITED have received a boost in their pursuit of Bruno Fernandes, with Sporting currently negotiating a deal with a replacement.

But the Red Devils will be looking for a new captain after Ashley Young completed his move to Inter Milan today.

Follow all the latest Man Utd transfer gossip and updates below…

• MANCHESTER UNITED want to sign Marcos Llorente as well as Bruno Fernandes to ease their midfield injury crisis, according to reports.

  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is closing in on a £60million deal to bring long-term target Fernandes in from Sporting Lisbon.

  And the Manchester Evening News adds that a loan deal for out of favour Atletico Madrid ace Llorente is also on the cards.

  United are without Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay through injury and midfield has been an area of concern this season.

  Solskjaer has suggested that he will turn to the loan market to negotiate the notoriously difficult January window and target stars not playing regular football at top clubs.

• IT could be a pivotal weekend in the transfer market for Man Utd.

  Their pursuit of Bruno Fernandes continues – SunSport can exclusively reveals that negotiations have STALLED.

  Fernandes, 25, started as Sporting Lisbon took on Benfica, with fans fearing it could be the last time they see him.
  But the Portuguese club fear they would get nowhere near the full £60m package because so many payments are linked to achievements that are unlikely to happen.
  Among those are United winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
  Another add-on laid down by United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is a payment if Fernandes wins the Ballon d’Or.

  Sky Sports claim that the deal bringing the Portuguese to Old Trafford will be worth up to £60million – with United paying £43million up front and the rest in potential add-ons.

  Personal terms have not been an issue and the 25-year-old will earn £120,000-a-week.

  The Red Devils had wanted Fernandes to be pulled out of the derby clash with table toppers Benfica from across town.

  But Sporting insisted that their captain play and get a proper send off from the club's adoring fans.

  Meanwhile, Utd have triggered an extension to tie down Eric Bailly to a new contract until the summer of 2022.

  SunSport exclusively revealed the club were ready to trigger the clause to stop him from leaving for nothing in the summer.

  Bailly had a contract expiring at the end of the season but the club have been keen to keep him at Old Trafford despite being plagued with injuries, write ESPN.

• Klopp claimed Liverpool’s list of “natural enemies” – including Manchester United make life more difficult for his side ahead of their clash with the Red Devils this weekend.

  He said: “It’s a very, very important football game and we have to make sure we are at our best.

  “We know the importance to our supporters but we cannot treat it differently.

  “I hope people understand — like against Everton — it (the rivalry) is an add-on, we play all games for our supporters, not only these games.

  “But Liverpool have more natural enemies than other clubs and the reason is our history, how successful this club has been.

  “When we play United and Everton — and now City is getting more like that — it is like the most important match of the season.”

• EXCL

  BRUNO FERNANDES played in the Lisbon derby on Friday night as his move to Manchester United stalled.

  Fernandes, 25, started as Sporting Lisbon took on Benfica, with fans fearing it could be the last time they see him.

  But the Portuguese club fear they would get nowhere near the full £60m package because so many payments are linked to achievements that are unlikely to happen.

  Among those are United winning the Premier League and the Champions League.

  Another add-on laid down by United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is a payment if Fernandes wins the Ballon d’Or.

• BRUNO FERNANDES was labelled “Kante, De Bruyne and Pogba combined” as fans drooled over a glorious 60-yard pass from the Manchester United target target in tonight’s Lisbon derby.

  The £43million-rated Sporting Lisbon midfielder curved the ball for ex-Liverpool teenager Rafael Camacho to take in his stride beyond the Benfica defence and drill against the near post.

  Old Trafford supporters on social media immediately demanded United complete a deal for the free-scoring Portugal star.

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