Mate, you’re either being really naive or just defensive about him as you’ve been to zz, robbo and others over this.
Utd patently want him. Bad. That’s not changed since last summer. The fee was deemed too high last summer. (With no genuine indication it came down significantly this window to any great degree to change that.).
Any competent, pro-active guy in Woodward’s position would have been working on the main target (let’s not pretend otherwise), the past 5 months with Sporting to be ready for January. But you don’t have a football guy in that position who can make those club connections to negotiatebefore hand.
Even taking every rumour at face value, as you are, you’re describing a reactionary guy with no solid recruitment plan. He’s not our top want (even though everything points that way through two windows) but he’s been offered so let’s talk. That’s why the squad continues to built so poorly.