Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to be struggling to convince club officials that they should spend heavily on Sporting CP star Bruno Fernandes.
The Red Devils have been chasing Fernandes for weeks, but Sporting have shown no sign of dropping their asking price to make things easier for United.
They are said to be holding out for £65m but, according to Correio de Manha (via Manchester Evening News), United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward believes the player is worth no more than £50m.
Solskjaer is thought to be working tirelessly to convince Woodward that Fernandes is worth the money, but Woodward is yet to be fully convinced.
The manager is desperate to add at least one new midfielder to his squad this season, and is particularly eager to bring in someone who can make a real difference in front of goal.
This is why Solskjaer has turned to Fernandes. The 24-year-old's stunning tally of 32 goals and 18 assists last season was amongst the best in Europe, and Solskjaer believes that he would be able to carry those numbers over to the Premier League.
However, it appears as though Woodward is yet to be fully convinced by Fernandes, and he may opt to look elsewhere for a new midfielder.
Lazio powerhouse Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is thought to be high on United's wish list, and Sporting's reluctance to lower their asking price for Fernandes could accelerate their pursuit of the Serb.
Milinkovic-Savic would likely be a more expensive option, with Lazio thought to be holding out for at least £70m for the 24-year-old, but Woodward may find it easier to spend so heavily on Milinkovic-Savic as a result of his experience in one of Europe's top leagues.
Source : 90min