The Portugal international was in superb form during the 2018/19 campaign, scoring 25 goals in 40 games across all competitions.
Sky Sports News claims that United have targeted the 24-year-old as a reinforcement for their midfield after losing Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera over the last six months.
Fernandes’s agent is said to have travelled to the UK on Wednesday to find out what options are available to his client, but the Lisbon-based club have set a price tag of at least £50 million.
The former Sampdoria player agreed a new five-year contract last summer with a release clause of £31 million, but if a club meets that fee and Sporting refuse to sell, Fernandes is due a payment of £4.5 million.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas is said to want the biggest transfer fee the club has ever received for his star midfielder.
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