SOURCES: Palmeiras Deem Richard Rios Not For Sale Amid Manchester United Interest | OneFootball

Manchester United have been linked to Richard Rios from Palmeiras in Brazil for the last number of weeks, and the interest has ramped up in the last week. The Red’s have currently cooled interest on Manuel Ugarte despite the Uruguay international being the club’s main target, and they are currently trying to profile a different type of midfielder to slip into their new midfield.

Rios had a strong campaign at the Copa America for Columbia and has been linked to some of Europe’s top clup since the tournament. The Columbian has a rumoured release clause in his contract of £75million, although it’s not been officially confirmed as of yet how much it is. We understand that Palmeias have no intentions of negotiating for Rios this summer, with the Brazilian side deeming the player not for sale under any circumstances.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – JULY 06: Richard Rios of Colombia celebrates after scoring the team’s fourth goal during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 quarter-final match between Colombia and Panama at State Farm Stadium on July 06, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Palmeiras Strong On Rios:

The Red’s are profiling a number of players at the moment, with the likes of Youssouf Fofana, Sander Berge among others admired internally at the club. A deal for Fofana is felt to be difficult, and although talks were initiated in May, and recommenced as recently as July 23rd, a deal has never moved forward. The player is felt to favour a move to Milan, and a deal is fully expected to be completed in the coming days if they can agree a fee with Monaco.

Sander Berge is an option that makes a lot of sense for United. The Norwegian fits the bill physically, and would cost a significant amount less than Manuel Ugarte would have at around £51million. Another player United still have interest in is Sofyan Amrabat, with no final decision communicated to Fiorentina right now as to whether they will sign the player on a permanent basis.

Rios is a name United admire, but any deal will be extremely difficult due to Palmeiras stance on the player and their lack of willingness to negotiate any sort of deal. If the £75million release clause in the player’s contract which has been rumored is true, there is unlikely to be a scenario where Rios joins United this summer without the Brazilian side softening their stance.