Ruben Amorim could offer Man United green light to snap-up £51m Jarrad Branthwaite alternative

Ruben Amorim could give Manchester United the green light to sign Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio next summer as an alternative to former target Jarred Branthwaite.

The Reds appointed Amorim as their new head coach on a deal until 2027 following the sacking of Erik ten Hag. While his first task will be to get more out of the existing first-team squad, he will also be thinking about future additions.

One of those could be highly rated Sporting centre-back Inacio. United welcomed two new centre-back additions in the summer, with Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt strengthening their defensive options.

READ MORE: Two Man United stars hit academy hat-tricks but Chido Obi-Martin isn't one of them as Sekou Kone makes debut

READ MORE: Nani has told Man United to give Ruben Amorim two things amid Erik ten Hag reality

The club wanted to sign a third but gave up pursuing Everton's Branthwaite due to the Toffee's rumoured £70 million valuation. While it's been suggested they could go back in for the Englishman next summer, Amorim's arrival has changed things.

Not only do United have to think about recruiting stars to fit a proposed 3-4-3 system, but Amorim will also favour a player with whom he has an existing relationship. Inacio was a target for Liverpool earlier this year, but Manchester is his most likely destination now given the circumstances.

It was reported in the summer that Inacio only has a release clause of €60 million (£51 million), making him a cheaper alternative to Branthwaite. Whatever happens though, Amorim has already confirmed that he won't raid Sporting of their players in January.

His appointment as 'head coach' at Old Trafford rather than manager also signals that Sporting Director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox could have more power than Amorim in terms of recruitment. Ten Hag seemed to have a greater influence on new signings with De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, two players he has worked with before.

Amorim will have sought some assurances before taking the job, though, and it's likely he will still have some input.