Why Manchester United should have signed Sporting’s Bruno Fernandes

Sporting Lisbon playmaker Bruno Fernandes was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United since the start of the summer transfer window. In the end, however, no deal materialised as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer completed his summer transfer window with just three fresh faces.

It seemed liked Bruno Fernandes, 24, was desperate on sealing a move to the Premier League, and was even seen crying after his last match for the club – an apparent goodbye to the fans. A move to Manchester United looked inevitable, but in the end, a move never happened.

The Red Devils had a fairly quiet transfer window, with Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire heading to Old Trafford.

Solskjaer prioritised signing young, hungrier and dynamic talents that would take United back to where they actually belong. But given his side finished the last season 32 points behind champions Manchester City, it’s baffling that the club didn’t reinforce key areas like the midfield and the right-wing.

A couple of midfielders should have been on Solskjaer’s list following the departures of Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera this year. That has left the Norwegian’s team pretty light in the midfield, with the likes of Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic, Fred, Andreas Pereira and Juan Mata as the only options.

And when you consider the Reds will be participating in the Europa League this season, Matic showing signs of ageing and Pogba’s future in doubt, Solskjaer should have gone all out to sign Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon.

Fernandes was absolutely fantastic for Sporting last season, scoring 32 goals and assisting 18 times in 53 games across all competitions.

That’s why he is so coveted in Europe currently. In the Portuguese midfielder, United would have got a technically-gifted, creative playmaker with a knack of scoring goals. He can pass the ball accurately in midfield and can make some penetrative runs in the opposition half.

The 24-year-old can create opportunities for his teammates out of nothing and is a set-piece specialist. He is a two-footed player, capable of striking the ball with immense power from outside the box and bursting off the net. Off the ball, Fernandes is a tireless worker, and his work ethic plus versatility could have undeniably bolstered United’s midfield options.

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Moreover, the Portugal international’s addition should have also reduced the burden of creating chances and scoring goals off Pogba’s shoulders. Truly, he would have been an inspired acquisition for Solskjaer’s side.

Verdict

All things considered, it would have been so better for Solskjaer and United had they got the Fernandes deal over the line in the summer transfer window.