Benfica president Rui Costa has insisted that Goncalo Ramos will not be leaving the club during the January transfer window unless his buy-out clause is met.
The 21-year-old has been in impressive form for his Portuguese club during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 14 goals and registering six assists in 21 appearances in all competitions.
Ramos's form this term earned him a spot in the Portugal squad for the 2022 World Cup, and he scored three goals and registered one assist in four outings at the competition, as Fernando Santos's side reached the quarter-finals before losing to Morocco.
Man United boss Erik ten Hag has confirmed that the club want to sign a new striker during the January transfer window following Cristiano Ronaldo's exit.
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"Yes, but only when we find the right player. We do everything in our power. We are doing research on every opportunity and we do everything we can if that opportunity is there to contract them," the Manchester Evening News quotes Ten Hag as saying.
Ramos is being strongly linked with a switch to Old Trafford, with the Red Devils allegedly identifying him as a transfer target for the January market.
However, Benfica's president has said that the striker will not be allowed to depart unless his full release clause is met.
Ramos's buy-out fee has not been disclosed, but it is believed that it is worth €120m (£103m), which is far more than Man United would be willing to spend in January.
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"We have the sole objective of having a winning season, no player will leave – unless it is due to the clause – which at this moment is fundamental for the squad," Costa told reporters.
"What I can promise our supporters is what I did at the beginning of the year. This is a sporting project, not a financial one. Fortunately, we are not experiencing financial problems and we have no need to sell players."
The forward has scored nine goals and registered three assists in 11 league appearances this season, while he provided one goal and one assist in the group stage of the Champions League.
Ramos came through the youth system at Benfica, and he has now represented the Eagles on 80 occasions in all competitions, scoring 28 goals and contributing 10 assists in the process.
Matt Law
