Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Gabriel Jesus, Nicolas Gaitan Rumours

Manchester United will have to trigger the £30.9 million release clause of Palmeiras starlet Gabriel Jesus if they wish to sign the tricky forward, according to his agent, while the long-lasting transfer saga of Nicolas Gaitan is reportedly over, as the Benfica man is set to join Atletico Madrid.

Jesus has been linked with the likes of United, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, and according to the Daily Star's Colin Harvey, the Red Devils have already tried their luck with a £19 million bid.

His agent, Christian Simoes, has made it clear teams will have to meet his release clause before Palmeiras will even consider a sale, however:

"

15m euros [£11.6m] is not enough for him.

Gabriel is playing brilliantly, he is scoring goals and he has a 40m euros [£30.9m] release clause.

Of course Palmeiras are not going to sell him for less than that.

If we receive a good offer, we could think about it, but there is nothing concrete at the moment.

"

The 19-year-old speedster is part of the next generation of Brazilian talents, and along with Santos' Gabriel Barbosa, he's expected to become one of the nation's leading players in the coming years.

NELSON ALMEIDA/Getty Images

Virtually every young Brazilian attacker is compared with Neymar these days, but in the case of Jesus, the comparison has merit. Like the Barcelona star, Jesus' game is built around trickery and pace, and he's capable of playing both as a striker or a wide man.

He's also known for his exceptional work ethic on the pitch and doesn't shy away from his defensive duties―a rare quality among young forwards.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

The youngster is still very raw, and he can lose focus and struggle with consistency at times. But that's to be expected from a player his age, and as he matures, those are issues that should be resolved.

Bringing him over to Europe won't be easy, however. The Campeonato Brasileiro, Brazil's top competition, has only just started, and Palmeiras are expected to challenge for the title. They've built their team around the talents of Jesus, who looked fantastic in his season debut, per Selecao Brasileira:

While Europe's top clubs are gearing up for the summer transfer window, Palmeiras are focused on winning matches, and they'll do everything they can to keep their squad intact―losing a talent like Jesus in the middle of the season would be a disaster.

That doesn't mean Jesus won't move this summer, but any interested clubs will have to pay the full £30.9 million to have any chance of landing him.

PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Portuguese outlet A Bola (h/t Metro's Mark Brus) reported Gaitan's incredible transfer saga is finally coming to an end, as the Argentinian is expected to join Atletico.

Per the report, he confirmed his likely departure after the Portuguese League Cup final win over Maritimo: “Thank you to everyone. Everyone has treated me well. I think tonight was my last game for Benfica.”

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move to United for years, per Brus, leading to plenty of hilarity on social media. Sport Witness couldn't help themselves after the player confirmed this may finally be the summer he actually leaves Benfica:

But instead of finally putting on the iconic United shirt, the Argentina international seems poised to stay on the Iberian Peninsula. Atletico have emerged as a force of European football in recent years, and the Estadio Vicente Calderon is becoming a more appealing transfer destination with every passing season.

The Rojiblancos have built their squad by making smart investments, and this should another one of those signings. Gaitan is a very good player who has flown somewhat under the radar due to playing in Portugal, but he now has the chance to show what he can do on some of the biggest stages in the world.

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