Manchester United are weighing up whether to fight off competition from Premier League rivals for the signature of Richard Rios after deciding to continue keeping tabs on his progress for Palmeiras at the Club World Cup ahead of potentially attempting to lure him to Old Trafford, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Although Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim has already wrapped up the £62.5million acquisition of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the aftermath of missing out on European qualification and silverware during the 2024/25 campaign, the Portuguese tactician is scouring the market for further reinforcements.
The pending departure of Denmark international Christian Eriksen, who will officially leave when his £150,000-per-week contract expires at the end of the month, has resulted in Manchester United being eager to bring in fresh competition in the middle of the park in the summer transfer window.
Red Devils are Monitoring Rios' Performances
Central midfielder has caught eye of recruitment department
Richard Rios in action for Palmeiras
Manchester United are tracking Rios at the Club World Cup, according to GMS sources, and his performances in the tournament could be enough to persuade Amorim to take the plunge and urge key decision-makers to lodge a bid as he aims to upgrade a squad low on confidence after failing to add to the trophy cabinet.
But there are fears that the central midfielder will not come cheap if the Red Devils set their sights on offering a route to the Premier League as there have been suggestions that he has a release clause worth in the region of £85million written into his contract, resulting in Palmeiras being in a strong negotiating position.
GMS sources have been informed that Manchester United are continuing to monitor Rios, who shone during Palmeiras' goalless stalemate with Portuguese heavyweights Porto as they got their Club World Cup campaign underway last weekend, and they have refused to rule out upping the ante in their pursuit.
Richard Rios' statistics for Palmeiras vs Porto
The Colombia international has been described as a 'freak athlete' by scout Ben Mattinson, thanks to his physicality and determination to protect his side's backline, and that has caught the eye of the Red Devils' recruitment department as they seek additional steel before Amorim's first full campaign at the helm.
Manchester United are adamant that Rios' control and dominance are growing, GMS sources have learned, while his impressive blend of visualing how the game will develop and being able to open up play with his technical brilliance have been noted as attractive traits behind the scenes.
Amorim Faces Stiff Competition for Rios Deal
Premier League rivals among fellow admirers of 25-year-old
Richard Rios in action for Palmeiras
GMS sources have been told that Manchester United are in danger of being dragged into a bidding war if they decide to lodge a proposal as up to 10 admirers have sent scouts to run the rule over Rios at the Club World Cup, making him one of the tournament's most watched big-names as suitors aim to tempt him to Europe.
The 25-year-old's contract is not due to expire until the end of 2028, meaning that Palmeiras are under no pressure to sanction his departure, but it has been accepted that they may struggle to convince him to remain in his current surroundings if he continues being the subject of widespread interest.
Manchester United's biggest challengers for Rios' services could prove to be domestic counterparts, GMS sources understand, as Tottenham Hotspur are also keeping tabs on his progress and Nottingham Forest have sent a representative to take a look at him as they prepare for a season which will include UEFA Conference League action.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim Related
Exclusive: Man Utd Overlook Amorim Demand After Talks to Sign £85m Striker
Manchester United have opened discussions about what it would take to recruit Hugo Ekitike even though there are internal doubts over him
GMS sources recently revealed that the Red Devils are struggling to offload members of the squad who are surplus to requirements, with Jadon Sancho refusing to lower his wage demands despite being open to rejoining Borussia Dortmund for a third time, and that could hinder their ability to splash the cash in the coming months.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 17/06/2025
Sign up toThe GIVEMESPORT Reportto get exclusive daily updates from Fabrizio Romano, Ben Jacobs, Dean Jones and Tom Bogert sent straight to your inbox
Readers like you help support GIVEMESPORT. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.