Manchester United remain open to signing Sporting winger Geovany Quenda, despite the arrival of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce.

United met with influential agent Jorge Mendes in November as his Gestifute agency is now negotiating on behalf of the 17-year-old Quenda and his representative. United have been tracking Quenda since he made his debut for Sporting in August. A separate source said Mendes has bought half of Quenda's image rights.

Quenda, 17, and Dorgu, 20, are both left-footed and Dorgu occupied the wide-right role on his debut against Leicester City that Quenda played in under Ruben Amorim at Sporting this season.

READ MORE: Manchester United have dream welcome gift ready for Paul Pogba after transfer agreement

READ MORE: Man United identify Christian Eriksen replacement as £50m transfer price tag emerges

However, Dorgu is expected to be primarily used on the left in the future and United head coach Amorim wants attack-minded wingers to service the striker in the future.

United have already loaned out Tyrell Malacia at PSV Eindhoven, who have an option to buy in the summer, and there is uncertainty over the future of fellow left back Luke Shaw.

Shaw has not started a match for United since February 18 last year and he has played as many times for England as he has for United since then. He suffered a setback last week in his recovery from a hamstring injury that has kept Shaw sidelined for more than two months.

The 30-year-old is under contract at United until 2027 but it is unclear whether United will tolerate another injury-prone season from Shaw, who has played 18 club games since August 2023.

Club and agency sources rubbished reports in Portugal last week that United were planning to sign Quenda on transfer deadline day.

Quenda has started in 18 of Sporting's 21 league fixtures this season and in all eight of their Champions League ties. He has scored two goals and tallied seven assists.

The Portugal international has switched from the right wing to the left wing since Amorim left Lisbon in November, with Sporting now operating in a 4-3-3 formation under new coach Tiago Aguilar. Amorim's replacement, Joao Pereira, was sacked after only eight games.

Pereira retained Amorim's back three system but Aguilar has opted for a back four, sometimes with a second striker to partner the prolific Viktor Gyokeres.

Quenda was born in Guinea-Bissau and switched from Benfica's academy to Sporting at the age of 12. He was named in the club's matchday squad by Amorim as a 16-year-old last year and has been likened to the Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka.

Mendes has a long-standing relationship with United dating back to Cristiano Ronaldo's first spell at the club in the 2000s. Mendes represented David de Gea for the majority of his 12 years at United, helped instigate Bruno Fernandes's transfer to United in 2020 and oversaw Ronaldo's return to the club the following year.

United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward hugged Mendes when he saw him in the directors' box before Ronaldo's second debut against Newcastle United in September 2021.